Within A Mile Of Home
by rampantjake
Summary: "So you're telling me that my Mom...my real Mom...is the evil Queen from some fairytale?", snorted Faith in disbelief at such a revelation. But what does Regina have in mind for the citizens of Sunnydale?
1. Chapter 1

"So anyway, once Mr Finch told us about the Box Of Grabcock…."

"_Gavrok_ Buffy. The Box Of _Gavrok_", corrected Giles as he fought to keep his smirk from his face, Faith had no such qualms and beamed majestically. A crude pun brewing on her tongue.

"Whatever", shrugged Buffy before any such gag could air, "He told us it was going to be flown in from Cuba so you told the Council and they sent a team to steal it before it got on the plane. They swiped it, destroyed it, Ascension averted. Giles, you know all this, why are you making us tell it again?"

"Well I was going through my Watcher's diary last night, making a few notes about the G'farl demon you encountered last week, and I spilled my sherry over several pages so I need to re-write them", replied the Englishman a little embarrassed as he scribbled down every detail his slayers could furnish him with.

"Bummer", said Faith as she frustratedly started to bite into her packet of Skittles as it's wrapper seemed strangely impervious to her slayer strength.

"Oh give them here", scoffed Buffy as she snatched them away and, with one forceful tug, ripped the packet in half sending a fruity rainbow scattering across the table.

"Smooth B. Real smooth", chuckled Faith as her nimble fingers flicked between the Skittles so she could find all the green ones she loved so much.

"Oh shut up Fai", huffed the blonde slayer as she picked one from her girlfriend's cupped hands.

"So, after Mr Finch….", continued Giles with a roll of the eyes wondering just how bad their combined ADHD must be.

"You know it sucked that the mayor had that Finch guy killed. I thought he was kinda dorky but ok", said Faith recalling how they were unable to stop the horde of vampires from silencing the Deputy Mayor in a wash of bloody violence.

"Yeah, I thought so too", said Buffy as she took a seat on her girlfriends lap, "Fai, do you ever think about that night in the alley when we met Finch?"

"Hell yeah", grinned the Beantown native vividly recalling that night.

"I mean, imagine if we were fighting vamps or something when he jumped out on us, who knows what could've happened if we were caught up in the heat of battle"

"I seeya point", grinned Faith as her fingers ran along the waistband of Buffy's skirt, "Lucky we were making out"

"Yeah", smiled back Buffy as she placed a chaste kiss on the end of Faith's nose knowing how light and fluffy displays of romance always made the Boston girl uncomfortable.

"It was the first time you let me…"

"So Giles", butted in Xander trying not to think of the two slayers in front of him being so tender and saccharine sweet, "Any word on the Mayor?"

"I'm afraid not. Since the box was destroyed and he could no longer ascend he fled town. With nothing left to gain here I guess he knew that he was just prolonging the inevitable, that we would find a weakness in him sooner or later and then finish him", replied the Watcher closing his diary, his fingers aching from all the notes and addendums which had spilled from his pen.

"But what do we do now? I mean these things usually come to a head just before we break up for the summer, but we still have a while until graduation and there's no big bad anymore", said Willow as she munched on the Skittles which had rolled across the table to her.

"Well as a dress rehearsal for summer, I was thinking road trip this weekend", said Xander with sudden enthusiasm.

"Shotgun!", snapped Faith making Buffy jump on her lap.

"Dammit", muttered Willow knowing that sitting in the back of Xander's car with Buffy meant that she would have to be the one to hold the paper bag. Though Buffy was a slayer she was still a martyr to car sickness.

"Ah yes, I for one, am certainly looking forward for summer to begin. I can't wait to hear the sound of leather striking willow", said Giles softly as coughs, splutters and half chewed Skittles rattled across the library.

"Giles!", squawked Buffy in shock, "You want to do _**what**_!"

"Oh G-man, get down with your bad self", snickered Faith watching as Willow's face flushed until it matched the color of her hair.

"B-b-but…I…", stammered the fledgling witch as she felt her skin burn.

"I was talking about cricket", said Giles with a furrowed brow, "The balls are made of leather, the bats are made of willow wood. Why, what did you think I was talking about?"

"Oh man, that's priceless", laughed Faith as the scoobies, especially Willow, breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Ah, I'm glad you're all here", came an eager voice of clipped and precise tones as the library doors burst open swinging wildly on its ungreased hinges.

"What the hell?", Faith snapped at the unwelcome voice.

"Quentin, this is a surprise", said Giles with a strange echo as he watched the rapidly balding man swiftly cross the library.

"I have no time for pleasantries, Rupert", said the leader of the Council as he took a seat opposite the two slayers who, feeling uncomfortable under his stern gaze, slipped apart to sit on two separate chairs.

"Oh come on Quentin, there's always time for tea", Giles replied lightly.

"Not this time I'm afraid", Quentin said fixing his eyes on Faith and Buffy, "We have a problem. A _**big**_ problem"

"Dude, you missed the big news. The Mayor has gone adios and we're on easy street for….", Faith said before Mr Travers cut her off impatiently.

"It's not as simple as that. It never is. But Faith, Buffy, tell me…..do you believe in fairytales?"

"What?", said Buffy raising a well-plucked brow in confusion.

"You heard me. Do you believe in fairytales?". Quentin's voice now taking on an urgent echo.

"Course not, dumbass. Do you think we're like five or something?", snorted Faith derisively.

"Now hang on a minute girls, all fairytales have their basis in reality. Hansel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, in fact ….wait….. Quentin ….does this mean …..t-the curse?", Giles uttered as his smile faded and his face paled.

"Yes, I'm sorry to say it's been broken …and _**she**_ is on her way"

"Oh shit", gasped Giles as his legs faltered and he stumbled into the seat of a chair.

"Giles….d-did you just swear?", stammered Willow in shock.

"Under the circumstances, I think such language is appropriate", said Quentin as he pulled out a file and placed it on the table, "You see, there is a realm, another dimension if you like, where all the fairytale characters you heard of as a child, well they're real"

"You're shittin' me", coughed Faith.

"No Miss Lehane, I am not, as you so eloquently put it, 'shitting you'. It's all very true", said Quentin as he leafed through the thin papers in the file.

"Real? As in _real_ real? Snow White, Cinderella and all that?", said Buffy as her eyes opened widely in disbelief.

"Yes, all very real"

"So what? Even if they _are_ real, what does that have to do with us?", Faith grunted not liking the fearful look parading in Giles' eyes.

"There is too much to explain so I'll just sum up as time is of the essence. There was a curse cast upon everyone in this fairytale realm which brought them to our reality. For the past sixteen years they've been trapped in a small town in Maine in human form with no memory of who they truly are", Quentin sighed fearing the outburst soon to come his way.

"Hang on", interrupted Willow, her composure now returned, "If they've only been here for sixteen years how come all the fairytales based around them have been about for hundreds of years?"

"Time moves very differently in their dimension, when they say 'ever after' they _**mean**_ 'ever after'. Occasionally, due to failed magicks or spells, someone from this reality turns up in theirs, or vice versa. It's how their tales entered our culture in the first place, how else do you think magic first came to our world?"

"Dude, you still haven't answered my question. What the hell does this have to do with us?", Faith pressed.

"I'm getting to that. The curse which trapped them here has been broken, we don't know how, but all the citizens of Storybrooke have returned home to their realm….all except one", Quentin said mournfully.

"Lemme guess. Betty Boop?", Faith smirked.

"Faith, Betty Boop isn't a fairytale character", corrected Buffy.

"Is so"

"Is not"

"Is so"

"Girls!", snapped Quentin tearing the two slayers from their childish bickering, "The one who remains is the one who cast the curse in the first place….the evil Queen"

"Bullshit"

"No Miss Lehane, I am unfortunately not joking in this matter"

"Oh", said Buffy placing a hand on Faith's thigh as she could see the truth dancing within Quentin's eyes, "So how come this evil Queen is stuck here in our world?"

"We don't know, there must have been some kind of catch, fineprint in the curse if you will, which has trapped her here…..but her magicks have returned to her now. She spent the last sixteen years here in our reality without them, but now the curse had been broken her powers have flooded back. Powers the likes of which you have never seen", Quentin leaned back in the chair wishing her hadn't given up smoking as this certainly was a nicotine moment.

"So what if she's some sorceress? I'm pretty nifty with…", started Willow pompously but was cut off quickly.

"Willow, you've learned what little magic you have through reading books without even stopping to understand the basic elements of it. Magic is not of our realm, it is borne of theirs. And Regina has more power than you could ever know, she could kill us all before we could even draw breath, and she is on her way here", said Giles finally regaining his shaky voice.

"Sounds badass", said Xander trying, and failing as ever, to be witty.

"She is", replied Quentin as his calm façade began to crack for he knew of the true power of the Queen.

"So what does this have to do with us? She wants the bragging rights of taking down a slayer? Well bring it on missy", said Buffy defiantly.

"We have a theory about the curse, that she cannot leave this world until she reclaims that which was stolen from her"

"Which is?", asked Buffy.

"Her daughter", Giles breathed solemnly.

"Fine, we'll get Willow on the computer and we can track down some…."

"No Faith, you don't understand", said Quentin with a heavy gulp, "You _**are**_her daughter"


	2. Chapter 2

"Woah, hold up there…..first you're telling me that my Mom wasn't really my Mom …..and that my real Mom is some Evil Queen from a fuckin' fairytale? Dude, you are seriously wack if you believe that shit", snorted Faith defensively as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Colourful language aside", Giles said tentatively, "I'm afraid Quentin is right, I'm sorry Faith but it's all true. You _**are**_ the Evil Queen's daughter"

"But how? I mean it was never mentioned in any of the fairytales I ever…", Buffy started before being cut off unceremoniously by Faith.

"Hang on, you knew all along Giles? And when the fuck were you gonna tell me?", barked the slayer as she bolted to her feet slamming her hand down on the table to accentuate her point. The smack of flesh striking wood echoed around the library bringing an awkward and guilty silence on them all

"I-I hoped I would never have to…. in case you might overreact", Giles said ashamedly.

"Who's overreacting?", shouted Faith as she kicked a chair sending it crashing into the wall in a flurry of splinters.

"Faith, I was under the assumption the curse would last always and keep her trapped in Storybrooke", coughed Giles as he slowly and methodically cleaned his glasses feeling the rage radiating from the brunette.

"As was I", Quentin said backing up his Watcher of choice.

"Well lucky me", Faith spat with a menacing sarcasm which wavered, "All those years bein' slapped around by a fuckin' drunk bitch and she wasn't even my Mom. You knew…. a-all this time ….and I wasn't even worth bothering to tell"

"Faith….I…", stammered Giles.

"No, fuck you G. Fuck you", growled the slayer as her body shivered, her knuckles white and cracking.

"Fai, please calm down", Buffy said putting a tentative hand on her girlfriends shoulders.

"But…those assholes…", Faith forced out through her grinding teeth.

"I know, and we can beat the crap out of them later", said Buffy with a calming tone to the impending violence before turning to the Englishmen who sat with red faces like naughty children before the headmaster, "Guys, what do we do?"

"I..erm…well that is to say….if we….I m-mean….", stammered Giles as he averted his eyes.

"You have no idea do you", replied Buffy putting extra force into her hand around Faith's shoulders to hopefully prevent her girlfriend from snapping and delivering anger fuelled blows to their pasty faces.

"Well…..no". Quentin's voice now lowered in shame to a notch above a whisper.

"So some evil bitch is coming here to do what? Steal me away to some fairytale land so I can fuck around with dwarves and unicorns n' shit?", Faith snipped as her anger slipped down into an incredulous sneer as Buffy's calming influence shimmered through her battered soul.

"W-we don't know. We're only working on a theory here so until we can find out some more information…", began Quentin before trailing off as a sharp blast of a laugh fired out from across the table making all eyes bear down on Willow.

"Oh…sorry….I just had a thought is all", smirked the redhead shyly, "I mean, if this woman is the Queen ….a-and Faith is her daughter ….doesn't that make Faith a princess?"

"Technically, yes", said Quentin hoping that a small gesture would pacify the slayer long enough not to pound his flabby body with a pool cue.

"Well woop-de-fuckin'-doo-dah", Faith grunted. "Besides, there's only one Princess round here"

"Hey", protested Buffy trying to force back a smile seeing that even though the gravity of the situation hadn't dampened her girlfriend's lively sense of humor.

"Faith, despite how angry you are at Quentin and I right now, we have to think about what to do when Regina arrives as we need some time to try and figure out how to stop her", Giles said.

"Eat my fuck, G-man"

"Listen to me…"

"No, I ain't gonna be your bargaining chip", the slayer spat with narrowing eyes.

"Now be reasonable Faith", Quentin said flinching at Faith's misanthropic scowl.

"Reasonable? First you tell my Mom ain't my Mom, and now my real Mom is here, before I even meet her, you want to make a plan to kill her?"

"W-we never said _**kill**_ her…exactly….but…", stammered Giles watching the veins bulging in Faith's neck and her eyes misting over.

"That's very reassuring", came clipped and precise tones as the library doors swung open.

"Oh my god", Quentin gasped backing away from the table, "Regina"

"Glad to see my reputation precedes me", replied the raven haired woman as her glossy heels clacked on the cheap linoleum of the room as all eyes snapped wide open.

"Where the hell did you come from?", snapped Faith seeing the brunette woman in a pinstriped black skirt suit saunter forward bearing the smirk of a conqueror.

"I'm parked outside", Regina said back as her eyes skimmed across every feature of Faith making the slayer shed her simmering rage in a confused awkwardness.

"Parked? Like in a car?"

"Naturally", Regina said back as her brows furrowed.

"Well I was expecting you to arrive in a big puff of smoke or on a broomstick or in some carriage pulled by horn headed horses or something. A black cape at least", Buffy said trying not to be intimidated by this well-dressed woman whose aura sparkled with authority.

"You've seen too many movies my dear", replied Regina as her eyes felt the burn of unshed tears as she gazed deep into Faith's chocolaty orbs.

"Er…..so…", said Faith at a loss for words.

"It's you…..it's really you", came the full sorrow ridden rasp.

"Er….yeah….it's me", said Faith blinking widely, "So I guess that makes you….?"

"Yes my dear…. I'm your mother ….. I-I never thought I would…. they took you from me… but now…", said Regina with a crack in her voice as she went to cup her daughter's cheek only to have Faith flinch back.

Regina felt her heart slice and bleed, all these years of loss hadn't stemmed the flow of despair.

"So what do you want then? You expect me to fall into your arms and have that whole Hallmark happy ending where we run off to live in a gingerbread house?", Faith snorted as denial was always her defense mechanism.

"Well no….but I hoped that…"

"Look Queenie, if you're my Mom…where the fuck have you been?"

"Language", chided Regina with a flicker of amusement.

"Oh fuck you, where in the shit have you been all these years?"

"There is much to explain, please…..come with me"

"You think I'm just gonna wander off with some evil chick?", said Faith as she reached to her side and clasped Buffy's hand tightly.

"You really shouldn't believe everything you read in books my dear. _**For history is always written by the victors**_, and they always paint themselves in a vainglorious manner to portray themselves as chaste and just. Whilst everyone else is cast in an unfavourable light. I'm sure if anyone ever decided to write about your lives they would make sure you seemed like valiant and heroic people who could do no wrong and vilify anyone who didn't fit into your little in-bred circle"

"So, what, it's all propaganda or something? So what is the truth then? That you're not some evil Queen?", Faith said ignoring the jibes aimed at the scoobs.

"Depends on your point of view", Regina said wryly, "Just look at how they treated Elphaba all this time, it took them near a century of slander and lies before her truth was unveiled. Please, just come with me and I'll explain everything"

"Why? So you can drag me off to some tower to wait for my savior or something?"

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her", Buffy blustered in feeling her heart being slowly sliced open at the thought of losing her love.

"And who are you?", Regina said casting a critical eye up and down Buffy.

"I'm Buffy"

"And?"

"The vampire slayer"

"Never heard of you", said Regina with a shake of the head.

"What?", squawked Buffy indignantly, her ego dented.

"Regina….er… your Majesty….", said Giles in muted awe, "I…well that is…"

"I'm just here for my daughter", Regina said wanting desperately to take her beloved child into her arms once more.

"Yours? I ain't yours, you think I'm some kinda pet you can just abandon and then one day just come along and…", said Faith with a strained voice as she recalled the horrors of the uncaring foster system and their disposable attitude to her after her mother died.

"Don't you think I've suffered too? When I get back I will not hesitate in finding Snow and her feckless manchild of a husband….it was they who tore us apart. Them and their deal with….."

"Snow? As in Snow White? She's the bad guy in all this? Then how come all the stories say…", Faith interrupted.

"Were you not listening? About history being written by the victors?", sighed Regina wondering just how badly this realm had affected her child.

"I see your point, after all, the first tale of Cinderella in our world came from a Chinese fable where, at the end, the two wicked step sisters were forced into red hot iron boots and made to dance until they died from exhaustion", Giles said hoping to placate any lingering tension.

"That's not true", said the former Queen almost in disgust.

"It's not?", he replied.

"No, the truth is much worse than that. This happens so much in this world, our tales become diluted and sanitised for….."

"But I'm a slayer, I'm _**the**_ Buffy. How do you not know who I am?", Buffy interrupted still reeling at the slight barb snared in her vanity.

"B, now's not the time", Faith said as her throat closed to muffle the sob trying to escape as her eyes bored deep into her mother's as if she could plunge into the guarded recesses of her soul.

"It's alright, I'm here now my darling Esmerelda", Regina said opening up her arms trying to hold back her tears.

"Don't you….what?", Faith coughed in shock.

"It's your name, Esmerelda", said Regina reaching out to take her daughters hand.

"E-Esmerelda", sniggered Willow seeing the blush erupt on Faith's face.

"Shut it, Red", spat the slayer.

"Of course….._your Highness_". The redhead couldn't help herself from this rare opportunity where for once she didn't feel like such a tool in Faith's presence.

Regina, seeing the displeasure on her daughter's face, snapped her wrist up and within a moment Willow was engulfed in a swirl of purple mist, her clothes crumpling to the ground with no human frame to support them.

"Willow!", screamed Buffy as she darted forward.

"Y-you killed her?", Faith rasped as she stared into the sparkling eyes of the Queen.

"Kill her? Why would I do that? I'm not a monster. Oh, you people and your artistic license to change the truth to fit a story", replied Regina with a roll of the eyes.

Buffy shook out Willow's empty top in panic before seeing her friend's jeans writhe about. The blonde slayer baulked as she watched a small piglet run out in a panic stricken circle squealing as she ran.

"Hey, that is so not cool", snapped Faith as her lips tugged into a small smirk.

"It was funny though", Regina shrugged.

"Well…yeah. But there's something _**so**_ wrong about turning a Jew into a pig, y'know", said Faith as she watched Buffy try and hold the squirming piglet in her arms.

"Fine", huffed Regina as she twirled her wrist again, once more bathing Willow in curl of smoke.

"What in the….", Buffy said with wide eyes for she no longer held a fretting piglet but the trunk of a sapling standing in a terracotta pot.

"Well her name _**is**_ Willow, so why not be the tree named for her"

"Will you stop doing that", Faith huffed as her nerves began to fray before the woman who spawned her.

"What? I think she needs to learn a little humility in front of a Queen. Besides, she was mocking you my dear Esmerelda and…", Regina said.

"And stop calling me that!", grunted Faith, "My name is Faith, ok? And stop with all this magic shit, is this how you want to make a first impression? By turning my friends into pets and ornaments?"

"No...I…", said Regina fearing she had already destroyed any hope of a relationship with her newly found child, "Sorry"

Regina clicked her fingers and within the blink of an eye Willow burst back into her normal self. Only her clothes still lay in a tangled heap on the floor.

"Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod", coughed Willow as her friends quickly tried to cover up her naked curves. Buffy grabbed the redhead's clothes and held them up to shield her shame before snapping her eyes back towards the Queen who's power was more than a mere slayer could ever handle.

"So will you come with me?", Regina asked holding out her hand towards Faith.

"No", gasped Buffy through unshed tears, "Y-you can't just take her. I've only just found her, please…. don't take her away from me. She belongs here…with me… with us, not back in your fairytale land"

"Er, you misunderstand me. I meant we should get a coffee together so we can talk properly", said Regina with the same cock of the brow which Faith used sporadically.

"Oh…I-I knew that", blushed Buffy furiously.

"Just a coffee?", said Faith trying to diffuse the potentially dangerous situation.

"That's all", replied Regina.

"Ok then, but you're buying"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, my dear", the former Queen said taking her daughters hand and slowly closing her fingers around it. After all these years Regina could finally hold her beloved child once more.

"Bye…Princess Esmerelda", Xander chuckled as her helped Willow on with her clothes.

"Don't!", snapped Faith as she watched Regina's wrist raise and point to the young man.

"Why not?", Regina said lowering her hand which fizzed with the promise of magic.

"Look, will you just stop turning my friends into shit, ok?"

"What about the bloated Englishman?", she asked pointing towards Quentin who backed towards the doors attempting to flee.

"Oh, do what you like to him. I don't care", shrugged Faith.

Without another word Regina twirled her fingers as Quentin was engulfed in swirling black and yellow smoke, leaving only a collection of finely pressed tweeds and a table lamp.

"Well he seemed quite bright, just don't turn him on", Regina said with a wry wink.

"Oh you are _**so**_ Faith's mother", Xander said trying not to feel the glare of spite from Willow.

"Er…Regi….your majesty", blustered Giles fearing her power, "H-how long are you in town for?"

"I don't know. But it seems to me that you need a new Mayor", smiled Regina triumphantly.

"A new Mayor. B-but shouldn't there be some long campaign and an election and…", coughed Buffy as she hoped Faith would be alright.

"As a Republican I've never found voting to be that essential to the democratic process", shrugged Regina, "I'll talk to the town council in the morning, I'm sure I could convince them to appoint me the interim Mayor of Sunnydale"

"I'll see you later B, don't worry, I'll be ok", Faith said with a soft and tender smile trying to allay her girlfriends obvious fears.

"Bye Fai, please be careful", she replied.

"So, you and this Buffy girl, eh?", Regina smiled nodding towards the other slayer,

"What about us?", said Faith staring at her mother for the first time since birth.

"Nothing. Let's just say that a weakness for feisty blondes must run in the family", Regina said with a wry smirk.

"Huh?", said Faith

"I'll explain it all over coffee"

"So… you've come back for that which is yours", the dark haired slayer said trying to enter into some kind of a conversation as they headed towards the library doors.

"Me? Who told you that?", Regina said stopping them in their tracks as the eyes of the scoobs washed over the pair.

"Giles…and the lamp dude", Faith said nodding across the room.

"You people and your willingness to believe everything you read without hesitation. This isn't about me, or even you"

"Then who?, the slayer continued.

"You should ask _him_ that question, my dear", said Regina staring at the Watcher whose cheek twitched, "For he knows more than he has ever let on. Isn't that right Mr Giles, or should I call you…..Baelfire?"


	3. Chapter 3

_**(Author's notes – big thanks to all who have read, reviewed etc. But special hugs to CMiller13 for planting the kernel of an idea which saved my brain from melting trying to gel the two timelines. Sorry it takes so long for me to update but I really have no idea where the hell I'm going with this!)**_

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"Huh?", said Faith awkwardly as she sipped her strong black coffee drumming her fingernails on the porcelain cup.

"I said elbows off the table", replied Regina as she unfolded a paper napkin and neatly placed it on her lap.

"Listen, just 'cos you say I'm a Princess don't make me one", snorted the slayer derisively as she tossed her leather jacket over the back of the chair as the two brunette's sat in the coffee shop trying not to feel too uncomfortable in each-others presence.

"Doesn't every little girl want to be a Princess?"

"Did you?"

"Touché", replied Regina knowing full well the horrors of being part of the monarchy, "I know it's supposed to the pinnacle of everyone's life but it truly is a gilded cage"

"And besides, in case you haven't noticed", Faith said motioning to her glorious bosom, "I'm _**not**_ a little girl"

"So I see", Regina nodded, "But there's no escaping the fact that you _**are**_ a Princess. I know you may not believe or want it but it is still so, and even though you have all the manners of an unkempt peasant…."

"Hey", protested the slayer slamming her coffee cup down on the wonky table.

"Oh come off it dear, I'm sure it's not the first time you've heard that"

"True, I get it all the time from B. But still, I'm proud as hell to be blue collar", grunted Faith internally cursing that she left her cigarettes back in the library knowing that Buffy would've thrown yet another pack of hers away.

"Very well. But I'm sure we can smooth out those rough edges of yours a little"

"You wanna go all My Fair Lady on my ass? You want me to be Eliza or something? Screw that"

"Oh for Pete's sake", sighed Regina pinching the bridge of her nose, "Is every woman in my life going to be a stubborn, foul mouthed, leather wearing….."

"What the hell are you talking about?", Faith said losing track of the conversation.

"You'll see", the deposed Queen said with a small smirk toying with the ring on her finger, "But back in my realm…"

"Yeah, about that", interrupted Faith, "That whole thing is totally wack. I still can't believe every fairytale character I ever heard of is real. Shrek, Bambi, Hellboy, Jesus…."

"Well I'm not sure about…..oh, excuse me", Regina said answering her cellphone, "Hello? …..oh yes, it _**is**_ her and no mistake …..no, not yet …..I'm not sure that's a good idea …..no honey, wait, we've been over this a million times …of course I'm not ashamed of you or…..oh very well, we're at the coffee shop on Main Street …..ok, baby….bye"

"Everything ok?", asked the slayer seeing the faraway gaze and the dopey smile on her mother's lips.

"Huh? Oh, yes. Would you like another coffee?"

"No, I'm cool"

"Are you sure? Nothing's too good for my daughter you know", Regina said placing her hand on top of Faith's scarred knuckles.

"Yeah, about that. How do you know I'm really your kid?"

"A mother always knows, my dear"

"That's it?", replied the slayer raising an eyebrow, "That's all you're going on?"

"And your tattoo. Tell me, why did you get that design?", asked Regina as her eyes scanned over every curve of ink.

"I dunno, I just thought it looked cool", shrugged Faith evasively.

"Don't give me that, I know you don't know me yet but you _**can**_ trust me. Honestly, why did you get that particular design of tattoo?"

"I…it kept coming to me….in a dream…"

"In a memory my dear, the design on your arm….it's part of my family crest. Look deep into your heart my dear, you know it to be true my darling Esmerelda", Regina said with gentle and even tones.

"Will you stop it with that Esmerelda shit. Why d'you give me such a goofy name anyways?"

"It….it was the name your father always liked, he mentioned it one time when we talked about ….our future …..together", Regina said still feeling the bitterness of the memory.

"Who is my Dad anyway?"

"His name was Daniel, I loved him so much. I was willing to give up my entire world to be with him but we were betrayed. M-my own mother tore his heart out in front of me"

"That's wicked gross", winced Faith before calming her words seeing the pain which still hadn't dulled in Regina's eyes, "I'm sorry"

"It was your loss too. I was still buried in my grief when my mother forced me into marrying the King, you see…she found out I was pregnant"

"With me?"

"Of course with you. My mother threatened to kill you while you were still in the womb, to protect you I consented to marrying that desiccated sack of bones. I was going to raise you as our own…. but then that little bitch found out the truth"

"Who?"

"Snow"

"As in Snow White?"

"Yes, though I imagine your view of her has been warped by all these silly stories which have painted her to be the heroine and me to be the villain. Just because someone writes it down doesn't make it true, just because someone tells you something doesn't mean you have to believe it. That's how Mormonism started"

"Oh….right"

"Yes, I imagine you've been brainwashed with all these stupid tales about how Snow was some sweet little girl when I entered their lives. Not true, as she wasn't that much younger than me when we met which was probably why she resented the marriage to her father more than I did. It was Snow who told my mother about my love for Daniel, it was Snow ….who stole you from me", Regina said fighting back the tears.

"How?", asked Faith wrapping her fingers around her mother's hand unsure as to why she felt this increasing ease around her.

"She was a jealous and spoilt little bitch, always thinking I was trying to steal her father's love from her, nothing could be further from the truth. When you were born…. she gave me this potion, she said it was to help me recover as you took nearly two days to find your way out of me. Talk about a marathon labor, but when it was over and I held you in my arms I was so weak and confused that I didn't even think twice about her giving me the potion"

"What kinda potion?"

"It was a love potion she had made a deal to acquire. It wipes the memory of the one you love the most, it erased every fleeting moment I had with you. In all these years after the curse I felt the emptiness of my soul, a heartache and sorrow I carried with me always with no idea why"

"So what did you do?"

"There was nothing I _could_ do as I had no idea why my heart ached every minute of every day, Snow just watched as I suffered as she thought I was trying to usurp the throne from her. I hated being Queen and the loneliness ate away at my soul. When the King died a few months after your birth I thought I was finally free of him and his leaking bladder, but Snow was a vindictive little brat and claimed I had something to do with his death", said Regina idly stirring her latte with her spoon.

"And everyone believed her?", quizzed Faith in empathy.

"Of course, for she was Snow White, the so-called virginal Princess who was beloved by all. But behind the closed doors of the castle only those close to her could see the truth behind the myth. So when I was blamed for the King's death I fled to the land of the ogre's as I didn't want to cause her anymore pain. Even though it was she and her feckless husband who killed the King, they were a jealous and ambitious pair but as ever the truth has been practically erased in order for them to rule"

"Ogres? You hung out with ogres? Don't they like eat babies and shit like that?"

"What utter nonsense", Regina snorted as she toyed absent mindedly with the gold band around her finger, "But anyway, Snow and her husband knew exactly how to manipulate the masses to their own ends, to paraphrase Goerring _**'If you tell a lie, tell a big one and keep repeating it. Eventually the people will come to believe it'**_. So soon enough the people of the land thought Snow as pure, chaste and could do no wrong and I was the Evil Queen all callous and scheming. The stories spread and with each passing of the lips more lies were added until I was vilified and Snow and Charming were seen as the heroic pairing who overcame the evil of the land. For they could not be seen as the angels if I wasn't portrayed as the devil. And nothing unites people like a common enemy, once I was the scourge of the realm every kingdom sent men to aid in their damned crusade"

"So you weren't evil? Then why did you run?"

"I went into exile to try and stop our land from tumbling into the horrors of civil war with Snow and I battling over the throne. A throne I didn't even care about, but there were many who would've supported my campaign if I stood my ground. Instead I stood in the western lands with the ogres and goblins as Charming's ever growing army tried to conquer their lands to wrest control of the ogre's precious silver mines for their own gain. They claimed they wanted peace, but their idea of peace was to crush everyone who dared defy their power. That idiot Charming, like anyone who desires war, was just trying to overcompensate for his lack of genitalia"

"How come we never heard the truth of these stories before?", Faith said feeling a pang of grief echo around her heart.

"That damned Walt Disney has a lot to answer for. In the years since our tales came to this world the truth has become so distorted that no-one wants to know the truth behind it all. The stories were recycled, exaggerated and twisted to suit their own design", snorted Regina in disgust.

"Wait, you said that Snow made a deal for that whole memory zapping potion she tricked you into drinking. What kinda deal?"

"Snow is as stupid as her husband and so made a deal with Rumplestiltskin. I don't know what it was but safe to say it wasn't going to be to her advantage"

"Rumplestiltskin? You're shittin' me?"

"No, I am not", Regina said trying hard not to chide her child over her crude language, "He is more cunning than most give him credit for. But my guess would be that once the realm was torn by war anyone and everyone wanting to gain a measure of power would've turned to him and made deals thereby giving him almost unlimited control of our land"

"I thought those deals were usually about claiming someone's first born?"

"Well due to Charming's erectile dysfunction they could not bear children which may be why Rumple twisted the magicks to punish Snow for deceiving him. When the curse…."

"You mean you really did curse them all?", said Faith pulling away from the suited woman.

"Yes, I cast the curse but I had no choice, if I didn't bring everyone here then the whole realm would've been dragged into that stupid war. The horror, the chaos, the countless dead of innocent civilians. I wasn't going to stand idle and let Snow and Charming gain control of our entire realm. I wasn't going to let them have their happy ending"

"And what was their happy ending?"

"Power. Control of everyone in our land, they wanted to take all my magic I assembled to protect myself as they wanted no other monarch to threaten their absolute dominance. That's why I brought everyone here hoping they could find their worth free from the shackles of oppression"

"So how come I didn't end up in Storybrooke? What the hell happened to me?"

"I don't know, when you were taken from me I have no idea what happened to you or how you ended up outside our borders. But I imagine it was part of Rumplestiltskin's amusement, to watch me suffer with no idea why. It was only when the curse broke that…."

"What made it break anyway?", interrupted Faith as she signalled to the waitress to bring her a cookie.

"True love", Regina breathed with a flickering smile.

"Whose?"

"Mine. When Daniel was killed my heart shattered, I only held it together knowing that you were soon to bless my life but like I said….when you were taken….I carried these wounds for so long I never thought I'd feel love again. But when Henry came into my life I finally felt my heart begin to beat again"

"Who's Henry? Your new guy or something?"

"My….son", Regina said with a wince hoping that Faith wouldn't feel she had been so easily replaced.

"Your son? Y-you mean I have a brother?", replied the slayer with wide eyes.

"Sort of"

"What do you mean _'sort of'_?"

"I adopted him, and when his birth mother, Emma ….it's a long story …but her and I ….well, we're together now"

"His mother? You mean you got it on with…. so you're a spare rib tickler now?"

"I have no idea what that means but I'm guessing it's vulgar"

"Sorry", replied Faith for some reason allowing herself to be softly chided.

"After your father died I knew no other man could ever measure up, and does it matter what form true love takes? What shell it comes in? You cannot deny your heart's true desires. For despite what my mother said love is _**not**_ weakness, it is strength. It is bravery to let someone else in your heart despite knowing that it might kill you. It wasn't until Emma and I felt the true love echoing between us that the curse finally broke"

"So how did you explain to this Emma chick about the curse an' everything?"

"She's actually from my world, she was brought here too. She was orphaned when Charming's army wiped out her village, she was only about twelve at the time. Her kinfolk were good people and wanted no part in the killing of the ogre's and so were put to the sword. But when the curse came, well I have no idea why she ended up outside the boundaries of Storybrooke and aged into a full grown woman whereas the rest of us stayed the same. But do you think it's mere coincidence that both you and Emma wound up in Boston?", Regina asked with a quirked brow.

"Oh….right", Faith replied more confused than she was when they started this conversation.

"There you are! You didn't tell me there were like three coffee shops on this street. We've been in every one of them", came a sigh of frustration from behind the former Queen.

"Sorry honey", replied Regina as her eyes sparkled into life and her smile brightened accepting Emma's kiss on her succulent lips.

"Ewww, gross", said the young boy standing next to them.

"Right back atcha kid", said Faith with a shake of the head.

"Oh, this is Esme….I mean Faith. Faith, this is Henry", Regina said proudly but with a touch of fear wondering how the young girl would react.

"As in...my brother?"

"Well yes", Regina replied seeing Henry smile widely at the young woman who shifted nervously at his innocent grin.

"Man, this is too much…I need…", said Faith standing up waiting for her head to explode from information overload.

"I know this is a lot for you to take in, to try and make sense out of. Wait, where are you going?", asked Regina worriedly.

"I…I need to think…just…I gotta go…", Faith said with a frown not knowing what would come next.

"Esme…..Faith? My darling?"

"Just…", sighed the slayer knowing only one person could help her with this, "I..I need to talk to someone"

"But…..", Regina called out as she watched Faith spin on her heels and nearly sprint from the coffee shop leaving the former Queen reeling in her wake.

"So she did freak out then?", asked Emma placing a comforting hand on Regina's back sensing the sorrow rippling through her system.

"Yes, I hoped she wouldn't but….I imagine it's a lot to take in", sighed Regina slumping back into her chair as her strength seemed to erode with each pace of the slayer who fled from her gaze.

"You mean going from a lonely girl from the rough side of town to finding out you're from a magical realm and a Queen loves you. Been there, done that", smiled Emma sliding her arm around Regina's shoulders.

"But she's so…..I've laid all my cards on the table. What if….what if she believes all those stupid stories about me being evil?"

"Lemme go talk to her, one Beantown girl to another", said Emma with a squeeze of her arm.

"Thankyou honey, but please…. be gentle"

"Hey, you know me", Emma winked back as she snapped to her feet and scampered out on to Main Street in pursuit of Faith.

"So that was my sister?", Henry asked as he picked up a menu wondering if the hot chocolate in California was as good as it was on the east coast.

"Yes honey, she is", Regina said with a sad smile.

"Right. So did you ask her just what a 'slayer' was?", the boy asked wanting to know every facet about the newest entry to his unusually assembled family.

"Not yet, but I will do. I just hope I'm not too late"


	4. Chapter 4

_**(Author's notes- sorry for the huge delay in this update but I don't really spend much time writing anymore, hence the wait. But bear with me as I may get back into it eventually, but big hugs and sloppy wet kisses to everyone who's read, reviewed, faved or followed this lil' tale this far. I love you all)**_

"Hey, wait up!", called Emma as she span around outside the coffee shop trying to find Faith who was currently stomping along the sidewalk, shoulders hanging low and profanities blowing in the wind as she kicked an empty Pepsi can into the gutter. The slayer's mind a maelstrom of confusion for now it seemed that all she ever wanted was being offered to her, but she knew from bitter experience that nothing in this world was altruistic.

"What?", the slayer snorted back as Emma caught up with her putting a hand on her shoulder making Faith spin round with a simmering menace etched on to her single syllable.

"Man, you walk fast. Especially in jeans that tight", Emma said trying to catch her breath.

"Pfft, you're one to talk", replied Faith nodding towards Emma's equally tight pants, "I mean, I'm sixteen so I can get away with it. You must be knocking on thirty so what's your excuse?"

"Hey, I may be slightly out of my teens…."

"Slightly?"

"Ok, maybe a few years….."

"And ain't you a Mom too? Should people who've given birth really wear jeans that tight, don't it… y'know…. with the friction an' all…well, doesn't it cause a little trouble in the gypsy village?", Faith grinned esoterically nodding to her crotch.

"The what? I've no idea what you're talking about"

"God, you are _**so**_ old"

"I'm not that…..", Emma started but she drew a calming breath and steadied her smile for she was on a mission and for her true love, Regina, she would brave any sling or barbed arrow, "Look, can we start over. All I want is to talk"

"Who the hell _**are**_ you anyway?", the slayer snorted back with a raised eyebrow as she span back round to continue her walking which, reluctantly, Emma followed suit.

"Oh, did we skip the introductions? I'm Emma, your Mom's…..well….er…."

"Fuck buddy?"

"No, we're more than that. But I mean, oh crap I suck at this heart-to-heart stuff, I'm just saying that 'girlfriend' or 'lover' aren't strong enough terms for what Regina means to me", Emma said as a dopey smile blossomed on her face making Faith roll her eyes.

"Fine, you're all loved up. I get it, but why the hell should I want to talk to you, I don't even know you… I don't even know _**her**_"

"You mean your Mom?"

"Look, she might have spewed me out but there's a helluva lot more to being a Mom than just…"

"I know that all too well. I just thought that if you gave her a chance, a real chance, you'd see what a remarkable woman she truly is. She's been through a lot, as have you, I'm just saying that two wounded people can find how to mend their hearts together. Trust me on this", Emma said earnestly.

"Well huzzah to you for finding your high heeled heroine to explore the windy pits with", grunted Faith, "I just wanna know how the hell you found me anyway?"

"It's what I do. I find people who don't want to be found. But it was your dreams that provided all the clues to where you were"

"My dreams?", Faith said puzzled as she realised she had now synchronised her pace with Emma, not intentionally though.

"Yeah, you see your Mom is one kick ass witch, she could spank _anyone's_ ass with magic. So she honed her feelings and sought out your aura or something, she explained it much better than me. But she visited your dreams as in your dreams you can't lie, all your truths are exposed"

"That's really creepy"

"Tell me about it. But do you really think she would do all this if she wasn't willing to go all out to get you back in her life? You were stolen from her, she was betrayed by that fucktard Snow White and she's been suffering all these years without you, and now she has a chance to get her daughter back, well you have no idea the lengths she'd go to for you"

"S-she really would do that…for me?", gulped Faith not knowing how to feel that someone could love her so unconditionally.

"Hell yeah. She has such mind blowing magic at her disposal that she could bring this world to its knees, or that's what she and her ego claims, but I know for a fact she would give it all up for her family"

"I thought Quentin said she was meant to be some kinda unstoppable bad ass? Not Mary Poppins with a grudge. Man, for an uber powerful witch she sounds totally pussy whipped"

"Oh, she is", Emma chuckled nudging Faith's shoulder which made the slayer let out an involuntary blast of laughter.

"Er….you got any smokes?", Faith asked as she patted her leather jacket down one more time in case she had missed a half smoked blunt.

"Yeah…it's my last one though", the Sheriff said pulling out the pack she kept hidden for those rare occasions when she needed a hit of nicotine, "Just don't tell your Mom or she'll kill me"

"Just _**who**_ is the pussy whipped one again?", Faith chuckled as she lit her cigarette and breathed in the beautiful toxins.

"Hey, Just 'cos I…..nevermind", replied the Sheriff as she and the slayer passed the smoke back between them and settled into a strangely empathetic moment of silence.

"So….Emma….what were you saying?", the brunette said letting the silver phantoms roll from her nostrils.

"About what? Oh right, yeah. When Regina checked out your dreams there was all this stuff about slayer's and demon's and things, looked pretty scary", Emma said feeling strangely at ease with this girl she'd only just met, for the Sheriff had unearthed all she could on the young slayer and felt such a kinship knowing full well the disposable attitude of paycheck hungry foster families in that part of town.

"You have no idea. But how come you're so willing to believe in all that?"

"Hey, I come from a world of magic and trolls and stuff so this isn't much of a leap"

"So…these dreams…._**my**_ dreams…"

"Don't think that she was spying on you like that, but she was desperate to find you. Thanks to your dreams she knows what you do to protect the Hellmouth, is that what it's called? Anyway, she knows the strength of your heart and how much you love that bunny"

"What bunny? I don't have a bunny", Faith said with a scowl, her mood lightening as the easy going converse rebounded between the two.

"The blonde girl in the pigtails and the school uniform who was bent over your lap as you….."

"Oh jesus! She saw _**that**_ dream?!", Faith spluttered out as a blush crept across her face.

"She didn't mean to, 'Gina told me about it as I needed to know everything she could find before I started my search for you. It just sort of spilled out…..but to be honest", said Emma lowering her voice to a mischievous whisper, "You're not the only one to have dreams like that"

"Ok, I really didn't need to know that", Faith quickly replied, "Anyway, her name isn't bunny, it's Buffy"

"That's her real name?", Emma said with wide eyes, "Was her Mom stoned when she had her?"

"Probably. Her Mom was an art student so it'd make sense for her to hit the bong"

"Like you never have?"

"Have you?"

"Hey, I wasn't always the stable Mom and reliable girlfriend figure. I've had my fair share of the old herbal confusion too"

"But what about snortin'…..er…nevermind", Faith said cutting off the truth of her hedonistic youth, "So this Queenie….er…Regina, c-could she see my nightmares too?

"She knows how much you were hurt as a child, it tears her apart knowing that she could do nothing to protect you back then", Emma said empathetically daring to place a comforting hand on the slayer's shoulder which, to both their surprise, wasn't shrugged off, "That's why she wants to help you now, Faith listen to me. You're not the only one to be raised in an abusive foster system where the only valuable skill you picked up was how to make a shiv out of a toothbrush, that's why I know how much you're in need of a Mom…."

"No, I don't. I don't _**need**_ anything. I've survived all this time without a real Mom and I can…."

"Faith", Emma said softly staring into her doe eyes, "I can always tell when people lie, it's a gift. Your Mom could be everything you've ever needed and wanted from this crappy old world. Don't throw it away just 'cos of your pride, you don't want to regret this. I would've done anything to have my parents back in my life, now you have that opportunity, I know you're scared of what may lie ahead, I sure as hell am, but I think…..I _**know**_ Regina is worth trying for. Trust me, having her in your life is a blessing and no mistake"

"Just click my heels three times and everything will be peachy? Then we can all go back to the Hundred Acre Wood?", Faith said flippantly as she flicked the cigarette butt away.

"You mean the Enchanted Forest"

"Whatever. So how come you didn't go back there when the curse broke?"

"Beats me, it's not like the curse came with an instruction manual and a handy eight page pull-out troubleshooting guide. But still, we assume everyone went back there"

"Look, this is way too much for me to handle. It's not like I haven't got enough shit to deal with, slaying is a regular gig and Buffy is kinda high maintenance. And now I got pressganged by Mrs S into going back to school….and we got careers days soon and I ain't got a clue what I wanna do with my life"

"Your life? You're a Princess, and the daughter of a shit kickin' witch….."

"Pfft, she doesn't even have any flying monkeys", Faith shrugged trying to gather her nonchalance but failing.

"Oh, you don't want to know the argument we had on my last birthday about that. I asked for just one but she said no, I told her it's such a waste to have this power and not use it. It'd be like having laser eyes and only ever using them to heat up soup", Emma said with a shrug. "Believe me, I can't imagine a world without having Regina in it, she could be everything to you. Like me, when she finally told me she loved me…man, I haven't cried like that since the death of Tasha Yar"

"You too, huh?"

"See, we're not that different. Y'see I was like you, lost, alone, pissed at the world. I made so many mistakes when I was your age, things I wish more than anything to change but I can't. You've been given the chance to change your life for the better, just listen to your heart as it'll tell you what you already know but are too afraid to….."

"Who said I'm afraid?"

"Faith…walking lie detector here. You try to lie but you're just fooling yourself, don't let your pride rob you of the greatest thing you could ever hope for, when I realised just how much Regina loved me …..well, best day of my life. Don't you want that too?"

"The best day of my life happened a few months back when that travelling wet bikini contortionist troupe came to town. Man, me and Xander must've spent two hundred bucks that night", Faith said trying to wander off track for she hated having someone read her so easily, though in her heart it felt comforting to know someone else had been through the same trials as she.

"I bet Buffy wasn't too happy about that"

"Oh, we weren't together back then. But when she found out she got all pissy and we had this massive fight and that's when she told me how she really felt about me. So it was a good thing in the end"

"Look, we're flying off on a tangent again. But the nuts and bolts of it all is that Regina wants more than anything to have a chance to prove herself to you. And believe me, what Regina wants Regina gets….it's why I spent Valentine's with a gallon of ice cream, a bottle of tequila and a Twister mat when we…."

"Ok, that's way too much info!", Faith blustered in again, "But… how long do I have to think about it?"

"Take all the time you need as we're not going anywhere", Emma said softly with the flicker of motherly concern parading in her eyes.

"So you're staying then?"

"Yes. I'm sure once Regina is Mayor…like I said, she _**always **_gets what she wants"

"Want. Take. Have"

"Huh?"

"Nothing", Faith said dismissively not wanting to own up to certain deeds.

"Anyway, like I was saying, once Regina is in charge I'm sure I could get a job as Sheriff of this town"

"Wouldn't be hard, they're all fucking' retarded round here. Hang on, you're a cop?", Faith said feeling slightly guilty for things she hadn't even done yet.

"Yep", Emma said flashing her badge, though it meant little on this side of the country, "But first and foremost I'm a Mom…..maybe even….a stepmom….. to you?"

"A s-step…oh….christ I think my brain is about to melt…..", the young brunette said as her eyes bulged a little as now, after years of hoping, she was being smothered by members of her strange and extended family.

"So, I have to ask….what is a slayer anyway?"

"I could give you the usual spiel about how one girl in every generation is called to fight demons n' shit but it's total crap. I mean, this town's had three slayer's in the last three years, so it seems that every generation has at least a dozen slayer's born into it, it's utter bullshit", Faith grunted.

"Ok, you lost me here"

"A slayer, always a hot chick, is super strong and agile, heals faster and can sense vampires n' stuff, it's a pretty rockin' gig. Despite the whole fighting-for-your-life thing every night, but the double H's make up for it"

"Ok, that's even more vague. I can see I'm gonna need some kind of translator talking to you"

"Well…look, if you're gonna be staying in Sunnydale there's a lot you need to know about things that go bump in the night. Me and B and gonna be sparring later, I'm all worked up and not in a good way, I need some grunt and grind, but first I gotta talk to someone"

"Huh?"

"Nevermind. Meet me in an hour so you can check out what a slayer is capable of…. you and…._Mom_", said Faith feeling the unusual warm tickle in her innards at using such a term as she bounded away up the path to the house on Revello Drive where she knew there was friendly ear for her worries.

"Faith, you're back early. Did you have another spat with Buffy?"

"No, not yet anyway. You busy, Mrs S?"

"I'm never too busy for you honey, you know that. What's on your mind?", Joyce said ushering the young girl inside where the smell of freshly brewed coffee flooded her senses.

"Man, where do I start?"

####### ####### ####### ##########

"That stupid witch. How dare she come to my town and think she can get away with this?", ranted Willow in embarrassed rage as she threw her rucksack across her bedroom before pulling open her favored spell book, an ancient tome it certainly was, "I'll show her. I'll show Faith too, how can that old witch think she's better than me?"

"Oh, but she _**is**_ better than you. Everyone is", came an eerie voice from the shadows of the room.

"W-who are you? W-what do you want?"

"Who I am is not important. But what I want…..is _**very**_ important. I have come so you may repay me"

"Repay you? B-but I don't owe you anything", Willow squeaked out in terror as she backed away.

"That's where you're wrong dearie", said the man who emerged from the shadows, "For _**all**_ magic comes with a price!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Emma? Why the hell are you still out here?", asked Faith seeing the woman in the red leather jacket squatting on the kerb outside the Summer's house as she burst out into the afternoon light with a light smile of relief dancing on her lips.

"I'm in a strange town in the middle of suburbia, I've no idea where the hell I am. I might be damn good at finding people but I really have no sense of direction and if this town is as dangerous as you say, well your Mom would kill me if I got killed", Emma shrugged as she got to her feet tucking into her pocket the random doodles of space cowboys she had made whilst waiting.

"Ok, that makes sense I guess", Faith smirked, "So why didn't you just knock on the door. Mrs S is cool, she woulda made you a coffee or something"

"No. From the sounds of it you really needed your alone time to talk to her, am I right?"

"You can read people too, eh?"

"It's handy when it comes to my job. Also, it helps when trying to get your Mom to calm down after she freaks out when someone squeezes the middle of the toothpaste tube. She's quirky like that"

"Yeah, I bet", chuckled Faith as she nodded along the empty street, "C'mon, I'll show you the way back"

"Thanks", Emma said as, seeing the awkward jiggle to the slayer's step, decided to just dive right in, "So I guess the talk went well"

"Pretty much. Mrs S has this way of just cutting through the shit and telling me what I don't want to hear, or just don't want to admit", Faith said as they swerved left at the junction.

"And?"

"Well I can't remember the exact details of what she said…..but she pretty much told me to go for it. I've always wanted a Mom, someone who actually has my back and gives a shit. Fair enough, Mrs S does that anyway, but she's Buffy's family….and it's about time I-I had my own", Faith said hoping the love offered to her was not a poisoned chalice.

"So you've accepted that Regina is your Mom?", Emma asked hopefully as the constant texting from her lover had shown her how anxious and desperate the fallen Queen was to have her daughter back in her life.

"Kinda. But I'm gonna give it a shot. I don't wanna chicken out and live to regret it, to look back on what might have been", Faith breathed out heavily as she was still apprehensive about actually listening to her heart having been wounded so many times in her young life.

"Good on ya", Emma said thankfully as she bumped hips with the girl who reminded her so much of herself during her ill-spent formative days, "So…er….. where do we go from here?"

"Take a left on Pine Street and straight on"

"That's not what I meant"

"I know. I just don't know how to….y'know…..she's my Mom but I have no idea who she is or what's she's like. I mean she's obviously a total cougar"

"W-what?"

"Y'know, she's got to be a few years older than you….."

"You've no idea", Emma muttered flippantly.

"Huh?"

"Nevermind. But Regina's in the same boat. But I think you can figure out each other as you go along"

"I hope so", said Faith as she came to a halt, "But what if I fuck it all up. I-I can't handle that…. having a Mom….. and then throwing it all away just 'cos I…."

"Faith, listen to me", Emma said putting her fingers under Faith's crestfallen chin and raising it until their gazes clashed, "Regina is a fucking awesome woman, she's been through so much that no matter what you do she'll _**never**_ give up on you….._**never**_"

"That's….cool", she breathed out in relief.

"So this slaying thing", Emma said hoping to steer the conversation back to territories where Faith obviously felt more comfortable, "Bet it hurts"

"Not so much, it's kinda therapeutic kicking the shit out of demon's n' things. But I better keep an eye on you and Mom as…well …. I don't wanna see you get hurt"

"Thanks Faith", smiled Emma softly sensing the strength of the young girls heart, "But she's such a bad ass with the magic that no-one could ever get near her family without Regina tearing off their face and wearing it as a hat. As for me? You don't grow up on the bad side of Boston without knowing how to kick some ass"

"You're a Beantown girl too?"

"Yep. Boondocks."

"Cool, me too", replied Faith, her attention being grasped by this woman who seemed actually quite cool and even honest. "So were you a cop back in Boston?"

"No, I used to be a Bailbonds person"

"You mean a Bounty Hunter?", asked Faith, her shapely brows suddenly popping up as the gears within her mind began to turn.

"I prefer the term 'Bailbonds person', it sounds less…"

"But Bounty Hunter sounds way cooler", replied Faith in mild admiration, "So what was it like?"

"It was ok. Good money, really good money actually. Worked when you wanted, no uniform, and with crime the way it is, it's about the only growth industry in America today. Why?"

"That sounds awesome. I could totally do that", said Faith with a sudden spring in her step, a growing excitement dancing within her eyes as she couldn't wait for her careers counsellor to hear her plan.

"W-what?", squawked Emma in shock as she hurried along the sidewalk until she caught the slayer up, "No, I-I mean you have to be aggressive with the fighting and that"

"No probs, I know several martial arts now, but I've always been a helluva street fighter even before I was called"

"But there's the danger", Emma said with a growing panic knowing that if Regina heard one word of this she would be sleeping on the couch for the foreseeable future.

"Ahem….slayer here", Faith said pointing to herself, "I face danger every damn day, some jerk with a sawn off should be no problem. Besides, I heal extra fast"

"B-but it's not all kicking and cuffing, sometimes you have use your sexual prowess to snare the bad guy…."

"Hey", said Faith motioning to her glorious bosom, "I sure got that covered"

"B-but what about….", Emma blustered with a sudden panic as this conversation had veered quickly into an avenue she hadn't expected.

"No buts Emski…"

"Emski?"

"Yeah, I never wanted to go to college anyways, bein' a bounty hunter could easily fit around the slaying gig. Damn, I never would've thought of that without you. Thanks Em, I'll seeya later at the library", Faith said as she playfully punched the Sheriff in the arm, something she only ever did with people she actually liked, leaving her alone at the end of Main Street with the coffee shop in the distance.

"B-but wait…..oh shit", Emma said as her skin flushed cold as her cellphone rang. Without even answering it she knew who it was.

"Emma, I couldn't wait any longer. Did you talk to her?", asked Regina cutting past the simple pleasantries with the lilt of hope scraping along each perfectly rounded syllable.

"Um…..yeah"

"And?"

"And what?"

"What has Faith said? Has she accepted she's a Princess?", pressed the former Queen.

"Er…", said Emma looking at her feet and scuffing her shoes on the sidewalk like a child caught out after curfew, "…..not exactly"

_**Meanwhile, across town at the Rosenberg residence**_

"Astarte et inflamanium", shouted Willow firing her most powerful spell at the man with the grey mottled skin.

"He-he-he", he giggled in reply as, with the flick of a wrist, he turned her magic into dust, "You really are a stupid girl"

"Entioh alles…uughh", choked out the fledgling witch as, before she could finish another spell, found her magic rendered useless and her arms pinned to her sides.

The man who smelt of death and chaos skipped across the room in a vile mockery of a pirouette, chuckling in such an easy victory. His thin lips slipped back to reveal vile teeth as his face came within an inch of hers, as if he were a vicious predator finding crippled prey.

"You wield magic like a child who's found her father's gun. In my world _**we**_ created these spells, _**we**_ crafted these magicks through years of trial and error and then they were stolen to this world so people like you could read these words like faithful sheep and take the glory for yourselves", he spat out in a menacing whisper, "You are a simple charlatan standing on the shoulders of giants. You are a thief. You dearie…. are nothing"

"B-but I understand magic and…."

"You understand nothing!", he roared with glowing eyes, "Every spell in this world was stolen from the vein of magic owned by me for though I wear no trinket on my noggin, I am the crown prince of the black arts. Each time someone here uses such magicks it costs you a part of your soul. In the years to come you will lose every aspect of yourself to the Darkness, your womb will become shrivelled and barren, it's the price of magic in this world. And you dearie, have been usurping my gifts so much that your soul is so tainted with my magic….. and you have no idea how much you belong to me now. You are a whore. No more, no less", he sneered picking up Willow's favored book and igniting it before it cascaded down in ash, "You have raped my magicks without hesitation, you are nothing more than a pretender to the throne which is why you will always fail"

"B-but I didn't know", choked out Willow as her eyes stung with tears yet to shed.

"In this world, I believe they're called covens, they share and limit their magic only reaching such strength through their unity for they know the true price of magick. One individual holding such powers, well it will corrupt and cost them everything they hold dear. Spells to bring back the dead or lead the world to ruin, they would seal their soul to me for eternity, by the time they'd be 25 they'd be nothing but a desiccated husk in my servitude", he grinned, "You think a few years of reading books and you could become as powerful as I, how ridiculous does that sound? I told you, all magic comes with a price"

"But w-what about Regina? S-she does magic and…"

"What do you know of the Queen?", Rumplestiltskin spat trying to keep the shock from his lilting voice.

"S-she's here. She came for Faith, s-she's her mother"

"Ah, the child that was stolen", he said stroking his chin sagely, "And you know of this girl?"

"Y-yes sir", whimpered Willow feeling the power radiating from the ghoulish creature.

"Then maybe you have use to me, perhaps I won't take your soul as my trophy. For Regina and I possess magicks you could not possibly comprehend. Very well, you shall serve me until my vengeance on the Queen is complete. But if you dare cross me, an eternity of slavish pain awaits you, an existence of degradation as my pet will be your reward if you so dare as mention my presence to anyone. Do we have a deal?", Rumplestiltskin urged with glee thrusting a parchment scribed with an archaic language towards her.

"B-but I can't do….."

"Sign the contract dearie or I shall shackle you right now and you will spend a dozen lifetimes as my plaything where you will redefine pain and suffering", he sneered.

"I….ok…but please….d-don't hurt me", sobbed Willow as the spell relaxed enough for her to run his quill across the line, thereby sealing her servitude to him.

"I never said any such thing", he sneered as he ran a sharpened fingernail across her face, scorching her cheek as the air filled with the vile stench of burning skin making Willow scream, "It hurts does it dearie? Think of this as insurance, if you so much as mention my presence here then this burning scar will spread throughout your body, boiling your blood and turning your bones to ash"

"B-but who are you?"

"I am Rumplestiltskin of course. But _you_ may call me….Master", he cackled in a tone which sliced into Willow's heart.

_**Across town, at Sunnydale High**_

"Are you ok, Gina?", asked Emma as they walked hand in hand along the empty corridors of the school.

"Yes….no…..I'm just worried that I will mess things up, what if I'm not all that Faith expects …..or deserves? What if I don't measure up?", the former Queen said biting her lip.

"Since when have you ever worried about what other people think of you?"

"I know, but this is different….she's my baby. Oh, maybe I should get her a present, to show how much I really care. That I'm really here for her"

"Like what? What does every princess want?", Emma asked with knitted brows.

"Er…a loom?"

"Oh Mom, you still don't really get this world do you?", Henry said with a shake of the head as he followed his two mothers through the labyrinth of hallways, each one looking the same as Regina tried to recall where the library was.

"I know…how about a tumbling monkey firework circus?", Emma said with bright eyes.

"No dear, that's what _**you**_ want", Regina smiled back squeezing her lover's hand a little more, despite the uncharacteristic clamminess of it.

"No fair", pouted the Sheriff, "Well, let's just ask Faith what she wants, I think she's a girl who knows her own mind well enough. Just…don't embarrass her, ok Gina"

"What do you mean?"

"We're about to watch two slayer's do a little sparring, if what Faith said is true then it might get a little… rough"

"But if slaying is so dangerous then how can I stand idly by and do nothing? For if anyone so much as lays a finger on my little girl I'll tear out their heart and feed it to the pigs", snarled Regina.

"No you won't", Emma said offhandedly.

"Well I'll boil their blood until it spills from their eyes"

"Gina…. please"

"Do you doubt me or my powers?", Regina said narrowing her eyes at her lover.

"Do I doubt that you'd anything and everything in your power to protect the ones you love? Nope, no doubt at all"

"Well I'll still spit my venom on anyone who hurts my baby"

"Don't let her hear you call her that", Emma said as they finally found the library where Faith and Buffy were warming up.

"Call me what?", asked Faith as she stretched out her spine arcing over backwards.

"Oh nothing", Emma said as they all stared awkwardly at each other not really knowing how to proceed as a damnable silence seemed to steal their words into meaningless gestures.

"Er….do you want to sit over there? Then we can show you what we do", Buffy said taking her girlfriend's hand and squeezing it before giving her a small smile, "Don't worry baby, it'll be ok. You know I'm really proud of you for going for it like this, it's no less than you deserve"

"Thanks B. Well it was your Mom who told me to shit or get off the pot", replied Faith, grateful that the other slayer always had her back.

"She really said that?"

"Well not in so many words, but the message was loud and clear"

"Hey Ma, sit here", Henry said motioning to the chair besides him as he screwed his face up at the unnecessary firmness of the wooden seat.

"Ma?", Faith said curiously.

"Yeah, with Regina being called Mom we needed another name for me, but I like to think of it as being short for Emma. That way is don't sound so old lady", Emma grinned as she took her seat.

"_**I**_ ain't calling you Ma", Faith said a little gruffly.

"Don't worry, Emma's fine"

The two slayer's moved a few more chairs to give them enough room to spar sufficiently. Faith's apprehension shone through her cocky façade making Buffy offer her warm smile of support as often as she could, it was all the tempering her fears needed.

"So where did Giles go?", Faith asked as she looked around the library with her fledgling family watching on making her a little uneasy as if she was on display.

"No idea, I guess he went to do research or something. You ok, baby?", Buffy asked sensing the apprehension in her girlfriend.

"Yeah, I….I dunno", Faith shrugged as Buffy's hand lay softy on her shoulders, "It's all so….new….and unexpected. This morning I was just some drop out with moderate to severe abandonment issues, now I'm some Princess from a fairytale with a family who actually gives a shit. It's….fucked up"

"I know, but I'm always here for you. You know that"

"I know. And you have no idea just how much that means to me", Faith breathed heavily as they shared a brief chaste kiss.

"Ewww, gross", Henry said as he got comfortable inbetween his two mothers.

"You better get used to it Lil' H", grinned Faith punctuating it with a little laugh letting her dimples flow.

"Lil' H?", he asked with dancing brows.

"Yeah, I like to give people nicknames. You ok with that?", Faith said with a wry wink to try and hide her nervousness around her new kin.

"Yeah, very ok", he smiled back warmly as he whispered to Emma, "I always wanted a nickname, but I was never cool enough"

"You are now, kid", she replied wrapping an arm around his shoulders and offering a tender smile.

"Ok, you better stay back when we start fightin'. Don't want you to get a stray kick knocking a tooth out do we?", smirked Faith as a blush spread across Buffy's face.

"That was like one time, and I apologised to Xander for a week afterwards. He shouldn't have been standing there anyway", she huffed back with a pout.

"I know…so, you ready girlfriend?"

"Always", Buffy replied as a smile blossomed on her face as she aped Faith's fighting stance as the first blows slammed down.

They kicked. They span. They blocked. They punched.

"Wow, it's like West Side Story if it'd been directed by Quentin Tarantino", Emma said as her mouth hung open in awe and admiration.

The two slayers held nothing back as their blows connected jarring bones and blemishing skin, but the smiles on their faces couldn't be contained as they thrived on the close quarters action.

"Had enough, B?", Faith grunted heavily as she pinned Buffy down, sweat glistening on their lithe bodies.

"Never", the blonde replied with a smile as she flicked her hips and threw the other slayer off as they once more erupted into heart pounding violence.

"Henry, don't look", Regina said with horror as she tried to cover his eyes.

"No way, Faith totally rocks", he blustered back caught up in the action.

"Huh?", said Faith as she was taken off guard by his simple words, but to her ears, deafened by years of hate filled abuse, it was the sweetest sound she'd ever heard. It echoed of acceptance and validation.

But in that moment her guard dropped enough for Buffy to spin a round house kick knocking Faith across the library and crashing through a table.

"Faith!", screamed Regina as her palms crackled with magic and, out of instinct, threw her magic across the room as she ran to her fallen daughter.

"Oh my baby girl, are you alright?", she choked out in alarm as, before Faith could right her senses, she felt ensnared in a warm motherly embrace, her face being pulled in tight to Regina's bosom as they sat amongst the broken wood.

"I'm fine…get off"

"Did she hurt you sweetheart?", Regina asked as she cupped Faith's face drowning her in the attention like she was but a five year old who fell off the swings in the local playground.

"Course not, lucky shot is all", Faith grumbled back as she blushed fiercely under the tender motherly fussing.

"Oh my baby, no-one gets to hurt you. No-one", the fallen Queen said as she pulled out her handkerchief and licked it before wiping a smudge of dirt off her daughter's cheek.

"Mom….please"

"Y..y-you called me Mom", Regina gasped with joy as the slayer tried to push the hand away as she smoothed down her hair.

"I…er….sorry", said Faith in a muted voice as she tumbled from her comfort zone.

"Honey, don't apologize. You have no idea how long I've waited to hear those words from you", Regina said as a tear ran down her cheek pulling Faith closer into her hug which, to both their surprise, the slayer returned. A heartfelt moment of such sincerity that Faith nestled into the arms that ached to hold her for all these years.

"Er….ok….we done now?", Faith said finally breaking the embrace and trying to slyly wipe the tear which ran from her own eye.

"Ahem….. guys….a little help?", Buffy said with a hint of worry from across the library where she struggled vainly to break her magical bonds.

"B….what the hell?", Faith said with concern though she couldn't help the small chuckle escaping her succulent lips as she eyed Buffy up and down, "Damn girlfriend, I always knew bondage would look good on you"

"Very funny….just get me out of these", Buffy huffed as she pulled against the series of wide leather straps wrapped around her torso holding her arms down as well as keeping her legs tightly pinned together.

"Jesus…..they won't budge", Faith groaned as she pulled at them with all her slayer strength to find the bonds were unmovable.

"Oh, let me", Regina said a little bashfully as she flicked her wrists making the straps disappear, she held her breath hoping she hadn't damaged her already fragile relationship with her daughter.

"You ok, B?"

"Remind me never to piss off your Mom", Buffy said able to expand her lungs once more as Faith's arms slipped around her.

"Mom", started Henry with curiosity saturating his words as Regina turned to him, "What's bondage?"

"Er Henry, do you wanna go get a snack or something. I think I saw a vending machine down the hall", Emma said hoping not to stain his childhood memories any more than they had been.

"Ok", he said bouncing off the seat not noticing the thankful look on Regina's face.

"So….er…Your Majesty…", said Buffy awkwardly standing in front of the smartly suited woman as she felt the authority radiating from her.

"No need to be so formal dear, you may call me Ms Mills", Regina replied as she picked splinters of wood from her daughter's hair making Faith flinch in embarrassment.

"Er….Ms Mills, so you want to be Mayor then?"

"Yes. I'm going to see the Town Council this evening, it shouldn't be hard to convince them to make me Mayor for the time-being. And I have some big plans for this little town, for we all have to look to the future don't we. Tell me Betty…."

"It's Buffy", huffed the blonde.

"Sorry, _Buffy_, but tell me, when you look into the future what do you see?"

"Apart from Faith?", smiled Buffy as she slithered her arm around her girlfriend's waist.

"That's very sweet, dear. But I meant what did you have in mind for when you finish school?", Regina pressed not wanting her child to be saddled with some airhead.

"Well I thought with…..oh crap, it's careers day tomorrow! I totally forgot about it. That sucks, I have nothing to say again", Buffy sighed.

"Oh, I totally have an idea….I think it rocks", Faith said with glowing eyes as she looked at her mother and girlfriend wondering how long Emma would take to return from the vending machine as she wanted to give due credit to her.

"So, what do you think of Faith?", Emma asked putting coins in the machine and eyeing up the Snickers bar.

"She's really cool, she gave me a nickname and she kicks….", he said looking around making sure they were out of Regina's earshot,"…ass"

"Yeah, I think life isn't gonna be boring with her around", Emma chuckled as she handed the chocolate to her son and headed back to the library.

"You want to do _**what**_ as a career?", came the ear piercing shriek of Buffy as Faith told her of her plan for gainful employment.

As Emma stepped back into the library she felt all the air suck out of the room as twin glares of outrage bore down on her as Buffy and Regina, in synchronised pacing, strode up to her to stop inches from her face. One blonde girl bearing a furious scowl to match that of the suited woman next to her.

"I want a word with you", said Buffy and Regina simultaneously as they quickly shot each other a look of curiosity before bearing their flaming eyes back on Emma who was shrinking away under the fierce glare.

"Oh shit"

.

.

_**(Authors notes- I just thought that Faith would kick ass as a Bounty Hunter…. he-he, now that sounds like a fun fic to write….… hmmmmm.)**_


	6. Chapter 6

"So what about Skeletor?", asked Faith as her fingers drummed on the kitchen table whilst Regina pinched the bridge of her nose, the endless barrage of questions of the last hour were sapping her strength.

"I don't know who that is"

"What about….oh no, he's from Omicron Persei 8. Oh, what about Cheetara?"

"Faith….."

"Surely Jack Skellington's gotta be….."

"Faith…sweetheart. Can we talk about something else rather than what people from the Enchanted Forest are actually real or not"

"I'm just saying it was lucky how you all spoke English back there", shrugged the slayer as she smirked at the sheer coincidence about being transported across time and space from one realm to another and their native tongue didn't change.

"I…..oh, nevermind", Regina said as she picked up the large dish and placed it on the table, "How about some more apple pie? It's the last one I made before we moved here so enjoy it while it lasts"

"Nah I'm ok, got any Cheetos?", asked Faith as she pulled herself from her chair and nearly tripped over one of the myriad of boxes littering the kitchen making the house seem like a third world relief effort.

"Not yet, I have to send Emma out for some groceries once she gets out of the shower", Regina said as though she appreciated the help with unpacking she was so fastidious about her domain and the kitchen was indeed her kingdom, "Why don't you go and play with Henry for a while? I think he's set his PlayStation up. It'll give you a chance to get to know him"

"Er….nah, it's ok", Faith said as she started to fidget from foot to foot hauling her gaze down to the floor.

"Oh I see, you don't want to disappoint him do you. You finally found someone who looks up to you without hesitation or judgment and you're scared you might let him down", said Regina as she smiled victoriously having finally found the coffee bean grinder.

"Hey, will you stop that", snapped the slayer.

"Stop what?"

"That magic shit, looking into my brain like that", snorted Faith folding her arms across her chest as she was so unused to having her true feelings exposed in such a way.

"Please stop using that crude language dear", Regina said softly.

"Sorry", muttered Faith feeling strange that she felt bad for swearing but also accepting Regina's chiding without a thought, "But still, will you stop lo-jacking my brain and checking out what's goin' on"

"I'm not using magic dear, I would never do that without your permission. It's just mother's intuition is all, so stiffen the sinews and summon up the blood…. and go play", said the former Queen in an over dramatic fashion.

"But I….you have all this unpacking to do. I thought I'd….y'know….", Faith said with a slight blush as she would never admit that mundane household chores could be the source of joy if she was doing them with her mother, something she had fantasised about for so long. She couldn't deny the warming of her heart every time Regina smiled at her or put a loving hand on her shoulder in the last couple of days since she burst into town in a flurry of witchcraft and power-suits.

"That's very sweet of you, but leave it to me. I have a certain way I like to organize my kitchen, I admit it would've been easier to just use magic to transport everything across the country. You can imagine the looks we got when Emma and I went to hire a U-Haul, stupid stereotypes"

"You can poof things? People too?"

"I can do what?", asked Regina as she carefully moved her precious bowl of apples to one side, the last crop to come from her tree back in Storybrooke.

"Y'know…..poof", said Faith clicking her fingers which felt a strange tingle ever since her mother had come to Sunnydale.

"If you mean _'Can I teleport things?_' then the answer is yes"

"So why didn't you just poof across the country"

"Not after I teleported Emma and I across Storybrooke to see how she would react, just to test it out as I haven't used magic for a long time. Safe to say she owes me a new pair of Louboutins", Regina said with a scowl recalling her horror at having to scrape vomit off her new shoes. "So we drove, but it was nice to see some of the rest of the country for once"

"But what about…..", said Faith before a small shy voice cut her off.

"Faith…er…. will you come and play Super Mario Kart with me?", Henry asked cautiously as he lingered by the door of the kitchen.

"Er…..why don't you ask Emma?", Faith replied feeling a little uncertain about spending time alone with the young boy though she couldn't pinpoint the source of her apprehension. But in her heart she knew Regina's words were true, and that's what stung the most.

"She sucks at it"

"What about your Mom?", she asked nodding towards Regina who was busily arranging the kitchen in her obsessive compulsive way.

"We don't let her play games anymore as she gets a little…. let's just say she's a bad loser"

"Henry, I am not", Regina chided him gently.

"Really? Do you remember monopoly night?", he said with a little smirk and a glint in his eye.

"Oh….that", Regina replied with a sight blush recalling well the night when they played and, just after she lost all her money, the board mysteriously burst into flames.

"So will you play with me?", he pleaded with the same puppy dog eyes which Buffy used on her so often.

"I….er…..sure….why not", Faith replied. As they walked through to the living room Faith flinched for Henry had slipped his hand into hers, as she looked down in alarm she just saw the innocent smile of a child who could, given time, idolize her the way she always dreamed of. Even though the thought of the responsibility made her shiver, something about his gentle charms made her not tear her fingers away but rub the back of his hand with her thumb.

They sat in front of the large TV and Henry handed her a controller, as the graphics blazed across the screen they paid little attention to Emma who wandered through into the kitchen still drying her hair. She knew better than to interrupt anyone when gaming, it was something that annoyed the hell out of her back in Boston when she got a Sega Genesis one Xmas for her last foster family were sweet and supportive people she had unfortunately lost contact with.

"Morning Regina", Emma said brightly walking into the kitchen.

"Morning peasant"

"What?"

"Oh sorry honey, force of habit", the Queen grinned back sheepishly with the vague ghost of an apology mixed in there, "Did you sleep well?"

"Of course not, you know I can't sleep without you there", Emma pouted playfully. "And the couch really did a number on my back"

"Well you're just lucky the house came fully furnished otherwise you would've been sleeping on the floor"

"How many times do I have to apologise for that Bounty Hunter thing? I was just talking, she seemed interested in my past so I thought it'd be a good confidence booster and show Faith I could be open and honest with her, I never thought she'd get a dumbass idea like wanting to choose it as a career"

"Emma, I've been searching for my Esme…I mean Faith, all these years and now I have her back in my life I'll be damned if I'm going to let anyone or anything take her from me"

"But didn't that Buffy girl change Faith's mind about the bounty hunter thing?"

"She's trying, as am I. It seems Faith can be quite stubborn when she wants to be. Even when she's wrong"

"Gee, I wonder where she gets that from?", Emma said tapping her chin trying not to smirk.

"Do you want to sleep outside tonight? I can get you a kennel you know", Regina threatened playfully.

"Are you ok baby? You seem even weirder than usual today", Emma said as she put a hand on her lover's forearm, even though she was in the doghouse the blonde woman knew that Regina loved every glancing touch and warm smile offered by her.

"I'm just….so tense", the former Queen said rubbing the back of her neck.

"I'll get the mink glove"

"No, no glove"

"N-no glove?", Emma said with a hint of worry, "But you love it when I rub you with the mink glove and we get…."

"Hey, I can hear you in there!", came Faith's voice from the living room.

"How did she….", Emma said startled as their voices weren't that loud.

"Slayer hearing!"

"Oh man, looks like we're going to have to be careful when we go to bed and…..", Emma said in a lowered tone.

"Guys, please!", Faith shouted once more from the living room as she really didn't need such images to plague her mind.

"Oh for….", sighed Emma as she turned on the coffee grinder in an attempt to smother their voices. "So tell me baby, what's the real crank in your pants today?"

"Well…..things aren't progressing the way I had hoped with Faith", Regina said as her lover's arms wrapped around her waist pulling her into a sweet embrace.

"Oh god, this isn't about the Bond thing is it?", Emma said with a slight whine recalling the two hour lecture Regina had given her about why Connery was the ultimate 007.

"No, I just have this feeling that she wants to be with me….with us. But her heart has been so soiled by neglect that she fears opening up to me"

"Well things have been rolling by damn quickly, I mean we only met her a couple of days ago and now here she is having breakfast with us. Just take it one step at a time, after all, _**we**_ didn't exactly hit it off when I rolled into Storybrooke"

"That's true. I guess you're right, we don't want to rush things….but procrastination costs one dearly. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about", Regina said as she felt Emma's warm lips on her neck.

"So… did you use magic on them?", Emma said as her eyes crossed the counter to spy the local paper bearing the headline about Regina being made interim Mayor of Sunnydale.

"The town council? Maybe…just a little", Regina shrugged as she tore the duct tape off another box as she searched for her antique scales, "But it's for their own good, it's not like I'm a neophyte at such things. Besides, with me in charge I can help protect my baby"

Regina looked at all the boxes yet to unpack and breathed a sigh of relief for one of the perks of her new position was the mayor's mansion. With Richard Wilkins gone and unaccounted for, the house and all its contents, technically the property of the town of Sunnydale, was now the home of the new Mayor and her family. As she breathed in the freedom of her new life a sudden squeal from the living room only warmed her heart a little more as she overheard the playful banter.

"No way, you span me!", cried Faith as her fingers pressed buttons manically.

"Ha, you snooze, you lose", smirked Henry as his car sped over the finish line. "Another game?"

"Damn right, you have no idea how much B will rag on me if she finds out my lil' bro beat me at Super Mario Kart. I'm the Queen of this game, no-one here has ever beaten me more than once", Faith said nudging him with her arm as he fired up the console again.

"So…"

"So?", parroted the slayer feeling quickly acclimated to his company.

"So, are you going to move in with us?", Henry asked as the game spirited into digitised life once more.

"W-what?", coughed Faith as Henry used her momentary distraction to tear into the lead.

"Move in with us. If we're a family shouldn't a family be together?"

"I-I guess….but I…I don't know"

"Why not? Then you can get to know Mom and Ma, and we can play Mario all the time", he said buoyantly with hope lilting in his voice though his eyes wouldn't tear from the flashing screen.

"The only reason I ever moved in with B was when Mrs S came round to my motel room and just started packing my things. I just stood there but she wasn't taking any of my lame ass excuses, she'd paid my overdue bill and checked me out so I had to get out of the motel anyway, but when Mrs S gets that bit between her teeth then you can't say no to her. B was surprised but kinda pissed as she'd begged me to move into their spare room for about two weeks but I said I wanted my independence and shi….", Faith broke off trying to temper her language.

"But now we're here you can be part of your _**real**_ family", he pressed.

"It….it's kind of a big step", she said trying to avoid the question, "Maybe you should ask your Mom"

"I'm _**your**_ mother too, sweetheart", Regina said from the doorway overhearing their conversation, "Then maybe I could be the Mom you always wanted….the Mother I always wished to be for you"

"Ahem"

"Don't worry Henry, you'll always be my number one man….but your sister needs to share that love too"

"I know…..but if Faith moves in I can have someone cool to hang out with. Plus she can teach me how to slay vampires and….."

"What!? No way!", Regina snapped

"Yeah lil' H, it's not something you should think about", Faith replied until she lowered her voice to a whisper just for his ears, "Not yet anyway"

"Ha-ha! I won again!", crowed Henry as once more his car crossed the finish line ahead of hers.

"Oh you suck Luigi… fire it up again lil' H. I need a soda", Faith said getting to her feet and, after a moment's hesitation, tousled his hair for which a wide smile was her reward.

The slayer grinned back before stepping into the kitchen where Regina smiled on proudly at both her children whilst trying to ignore the crackling in the background.

"He's really something isn't he", Faith said nodding towards Henry.

"He's very wise for his age", Regina said before turning around and glaring at her lover," I think maturity must skip a generation"

"Hey", protested Emma as she rummaged around for the free toy in the box of Frosted Flakes.

Before any more mockery could strike Emma the shrill call of the doorbell rang throughout the large house, checking her hair and lipstick in the hallway mirror for she was a perfectionist, Regina answered the door to be greeted by two smiling figures.

"Buffy? What are you doing here?"

"Hi Ms Mills….or should I say Madam Mayor…. er…this is my Mom. She insisted on coming over", Buffy said awkwardly feeling like such a child as she stood next to her mother.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Regina Mills", the new Mayor said welcoming Joyce into her home.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Joyce….oh, I brought you something. Kind of a welcome to Sunnydale gift", said Joyce with a broad smile handing over a warm dish covered by a tea towel.

"You'll love it", Buffy crowed feverishly, "Mom's apple pie is the best!"

"Oh… really?", replied Regina as her eyes narrowed into slits and her fingers tightened on the porcelain dish.

"Oh shit", Emma muttered as she watched the scorn brewing in her lover's eyes.

"Yeah, it's practically it's own food group"

"Oh hush Buffy", Joyce said gently but the pride in her eyes shone through.

"No, it's true", Buffy said brightly, "Mom's apple pie has won the Sunnydale bake off for two years running now, and she's sure to win it again next week"

"I…..see", Regina said icily as she took the apple pie as if it was a dish of ebola ridden monkey innards, ready to spirit it away to some untold hell dimension the second Joyce's back was turned.

"I don't mean to toot my own horn….but you'll never taste a better apple pie", Joyce said proudly with a hint of her egotism shining through.

"Oh shitting shit", muttered Emma as she sensed the offence scouring the skin of the new Mayor.

"Is… that… a…. fact", replied Regina feeling every hair on her neck stand up and her eyes crackle with outrage, "….well on _**this**_ side of the country it might be, I guess we just have higher standards back East"

"Meaning?", replied Joyce as if her face had been slapped by a half filled catheter bag.

"I'm quite the cook myself. And I do have to say, I make a mean apple pie", Regina replied pompously for this was a crown that she would not give up without a fight as she bore her smile of political insincerity.

"Oh really?", Joyce replied as her warmth slithered away as she sensed a threat to her position for even though she was an easy going liberal, she thrived on acting as den mother for Buffy and her friends. And her apple pie was the source of her pride and now this outsider was threatening her throne.

"Yes, probably the best apple pie _**you'll**_ ever taste", Regina smirked as the two women faced each other like duelling desperados at high noon, each one waiting for the other to flinch as a deafening silence befell them. Eyes narrowed and lips pulled into menacing grimaces before they both turned towards the living room.

"Faith, you've tasted my apple pie…."

"And mine" butted in Joyce earning a glower from the Mayor before she continued.

"….so who's is best?", Regina asked as she and Joyce stood side by side staring at the slayer.

"For God's sake don't answer that!", Emma mumbled leaping in the way of the proverbial bullet.

"What do you mean? Are you taking _**her**_ side…Miss Swan?", Regina said making Emma gulp as the use of her formal name was usually the prelude to something not of the good.

"Oh hell no, I'm not getting involved in this Vietnam. I'm already sleeping on the couch, how much worse can it get?"

"I know you think you might be a fine cook, Madam Mayor", Joyce sneered though covering it with her customary politeness, "But _**my**_ recipe was handed down through my family. It was taught to me by my mother"

"Shall I show you what I learnt from _**my**_ mother?", Regina smirked as a purple mist gathered in her hands.

"No!", Emma shouted grabbing Regina by the shoulders and pulling her slightly back making the magic dissipate into nothingness.

"Well I guess there's only one way to prove it. A week on Saturday is the Sunnydale bake off and…", Joyce said throwing down the challenge.

"I'll be there", Regina countered as the two matriarchs stared each other down in deathly silence. All they needed was fleeing townspeople and tumbleweeds to float across the room to complete the scenario.

"Good….now come along Buffy. We're not staying", Joyce said as she grabbed her daughters wrist and pulled her out the door. "I need you to run to the store for me"

"B-but I…..", coughed the other slayer as she was led away like a naughty child."….Faith… I'll see you on patrol then?"

"Yeah…..seeya B", Faith said confused as the door slammed shut, "So….that went well"

"Wait for it…..", Henry said as he rolled his eyes whilst the former Queen pulled her shoulders back and snapped her head up.

"Emma, fetch my apples!... Henry, my apron!", spat Regina as she strode into the kitchen and flicked her wrist making her boxes burst open as she furiously searched for her utensils.

"I think you should get out of here for a while", Emma said nudging Faith, "Maybe retreat to a safe distance"

"Ok. How far is a safe distance?", asked Faith as Emma tried to gauge the irritation of Regina who was swiftly writing down a shopping list as the air around her crackled with irate magic.

"Florida maybe?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Faith, what are you doing?", asked Emma as she walked through the ornate front door of the Mayoral mansion, her arms straining under the bags of groceries she had been forced to carry like some kind of huffy pack mule. Though to be honest she was glad to get inside as evening was fast drawing in and the long shadows cast over Sunnydale were the refuge for who knows what.

"Oh…hi Emski…..er….. I was just…er…. looking for my Math book so I could get started on my homework?", lied the slayer as she slammed shut the drawers of the antique bureau.

"Faith, even without my built-in lie detector I can tell you're bullshitting", Emma said with a wrinkled nose, "You can tell me you know. I'm not one to judge"

"Well…..the thing is…..you know….", babbled Faith with uncharacteristic bashfulness.

"Spit it out Faith"

"Well…the thing is….er…..do you have the keys to your handcuffs?", Faith replied with a slight blush rosying her cheeks.

"Yeah", replied the former Sheriff fishing her keys from the pocket of her tight jeans and offering them before snatching them back, her curiosity piqued, "Hang on. _**You**_ took them? I've been looking for 'em everywhere…..but why do you need the keys anyway?"

"Er….well…the thing is…..", said Faith before the distant voice of Buffy from upstairs cut her off.

"Faith! If you don't find the damn keys soon I'm gonna kill you! I'm starting to get a cramp in my wrists ...and see if you can find my damn panties too!"

"Oh", Emma said with a knowing smirk watching the brunette slayer writhe in acute embarrassment before handing over the keys with a chuckle.

"Thanks Emski. I owe you one"

"Yeah you do, and I always collect on my favors. So when I need your help with something….."

"Like what?"

"I'll tell you later", Emma said back as her hands reached into her jacket pocket to check if her recent acquisition was still there.

"Ok, cool. But can you not say anything about this to my Mom?", Faith replied as she started to bound up the stairs.

"Not say anything about to me about what?", came Regina's voice as she came over the threshold along with Henry, their arms also laden with groceries.

"Er…nothing", the slayer mumbled before scurrying up the stairs to release the other slayer from her bed.

"What was that about?", asked Regina as she carried the overflowing brown paper bags through into the kitchen, trailed by a smirking Emma.

"Oh you know…..teenage hi-jinks"

"Emma, please. If something's going on under my roof then…oh god, don't tell me it was Faith who had your handcuffs?", sighed the new Mayor with an almost pained wince as she slipped her apron over her svelte frame.

"I'm saying nothing", Emma replied raising her hands in surrender for she had given her word to her new stepdaughter and such promises were law to her.

"Oh dear god, they're as bad as Belle and Red", Regina said rolling her eyes as she opened the oven door to see that her pies were nearly finished.

"Tell me about it", Emma said with a chuckle, "He-he, remember when I had to keep handing you those requisition forms for new handcuffs? Who would've thought that a Deputy Sheriff would lose the keys so often. Not to mention the amount of saw blades they blunted trying to get her….."

"Mom, what's Faith doing with handcuffs?", Henry asked with a refreshing innocence as he opened the fridge reaching for the Sunny Delight, "Is Buffy in trouble or something? Has she been naughty?"

"I….er….ahem…", coughed Regina as she felt her skin prickle with embarrassment, "Well Henry…. er…. you know how they're both slayers? Sometimes…er….. they need to capture the bad guys and hold them before they can question them…. I'm sure they're just practicing techniques on…uh … arrest procedure and things"

"Yeah….._'arrest procedures_'…", snorted Emma with a wide grin hearing the rattle of steel echo from upstairs where one slayer whined in acute shame now her wrists were released from their confines.

"Oh my god….y-you're not serious?", blushed Buffy as she rubbed her sore wrists before flopping face first on the bed, "This is serious wiggins…..how am I ever going to be able to look Emma in the eye again? Oh crap, kill me now"

"Oh chill out, B. It's not like I even had time to do anything to you", Faith said softly trying to coax Buffy's head out from the pillow where she now hid her intense blush. "And Emma won't say anything, she's pretty cool, not what I expected a step-mom to be at all. Hey, d'you think those Grimm Brothers had issues or something as they almost single handedly turned the entire English speaking world against step-parents with their freaky little tales"

"Fai, you're babbling as bad as Willow", said Buffy as she slid her face out from the pillow trying to disguise her perky little smile.

"Yeah, what's up with her? She's been all weirder than usual lately especially to me, I get that she's all jealous and hot for me with her low key hostility and that but she really is a fuckin' spazz of late. Did you see that burn on her face?"

"She said she did it with a curling iron and then got all evasive about it", Buffy replied wondering just why her friend had been so reluctant to hang out with them at school.

"And since when did she ever have curly hair? I mean it's bad enough that's she ginger…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. They're God's mistakes and I've got over that, but there's something else going on with her"

"So why didn't she just use magic to heal her face?", Faith replied searching for her vial of holy water.

"Willow said her Mom had already seen it, so using magic to make it disappear overnight would've made it a bit suspicious don't you think?", Buffy said slipping her top back in place hoping that the turtleneck would hide all the hickeys which made her neck look like a relief map of the Andes.

"I guess"

"Shit, is that the time? We better go if we're gonna meet her", Buffy said checking out the clock on the wall.

"Yeah ok. But damn, is Red permanently on the rag or something? She's being even bitchier than Cordy"

"Fai, that isn't fair. I know Willow can be a total douchebag at times but….", Buffy said zipping her short skirt back up trying not to say anything about Faith's clothes spread all over the floor before she was quickly interrupted by her girlfriend.

"Wait…..oh shit…..can you smell that?", asked Faith as her slayer senses honed in on the fragrant odours wafting through the house.

"Smell what? Oh, you mean apples?"

"Yeah, apples….again! I'm so fucking sick of apples. Pies, turnovers….. everything"

"Me too baby", Buffy said squeezing her girlfriends' hand a little tighter, "You should hear my Mom ranting on about yours. She's all like_ 'How dare that insufferable woman come to my town and try to take my crown? Who does she think she is, the Queen of Sunnydale or something?_'. I tell you, it was a full on menopausal rant"

"Man, this thing is getting out of hand", the brunette slayer sighed as she scooped up her discarded clothes trying to find a stake.

"Do you think it's going to get worse between them? And our families are going to end up in some godawful feud like the Montagues and Capulets?", Buffy asked bumping shoulders with her slayer counterpart.

"Who?"

"Ok, bad example. How about….er….. oh I know, it'll be like the Red Sox and that team from New York whose name you told me never to mention", Buffy said with a slight smirk.

"Oh shit….that's so not good", sighed Faith as she opened her bedroom door only to leap back in surprise at the diminutive figure standing there, "Jesus…..Lil' H. What are you doin'?"

"Mom wanted to know if you were patrolling tonight", Henry replied as he awkwardly played with his fingers.

"Yeah, I already told her like five times before….."

"Hi Buffy", Henry said shyly cutting off his sister.

"Hi Henry…..hey, are you wearing Obsession?", Buffy asked as she gave the air a little sniff.

"Yeah, Obessession….._for Men_", he said stressing the manly part of his sentence as he tried to puff his chest out a little.

"Men? Dude, you don't even shave yet", Faith said with arced brows.

"Shut up Fai", he hissed with a slight blush.

"Yeah shut up Fai", Buffy said tousling the young boy's hair, "Play nice"

"Who's side are you on, B?", huffed Faith crossing her arms over her chest jutting her lip out in a cute little pout.

"Oh don't try that face on me. _**I**_ invented that face", she giggled in return as she slipped her arms around Faith and pulled her into a firm yet tender embrace.

"How come I don't get hugs like that?", Henry huffed crossing his arms over his chest.

"Dude, with these genes you're gonna loads of hugs from girls, trust me. And besides, don't your Mom's give you hugs all the time?", Faith countered as Buffy stifled her giggle and pulled away.

"It's not the same", he said shooting off his best puppy eyes.

"Oh come here", Buffy said crouching down and wrapping her arms around him, he in turn threw his arms around her neck.

"Ok break it up", Faith said pulling them apart before whispering to Henry, "I'm on to you little man, you get your own woman"

In reply he simply grinned mischievously before bounding down the stairs attempting a manly strut.

Faith's fingers interlocked with Buffy's and they strode down the stairs hand in hand and headed towards the aroma of baked apples which, they knew, would be forced down their throats. Buffy stopped in her tracks as they stood by the kitchen door as a regal voice rang out.

"How dare that intolerable woman think she can make a finer apple pie than me?", ranted the former Queen as she opened the oven door once more letting the delectable flavors waft through the air. "It won't take much for me to put that insufferable peasant in her place"

"Gina….no magic", Emma whined as her stomach growled ready for the culinary onslaught she would no doubt be the recipient of as the pie dish slid onto the counter.

"Pfft, like I need magic to beat Polly Homemaker. And has she never heard of style? Or even a decent hairdresser, I mean she looks like…..oh Faith, you're here", Regina broke off mid rant as she spied Buffy standing next to her, "Oh…..hello Buffy"

"Hi..er….Ma'am", replied the blonde woman feeling incredibly awkward at the friction between their mothers.

"Very well. Sit down you two, I've got some treats for you dear", Regina said in an alarmingly chirpy voice as she poised over the pie with a glistening knife.

"Er, not right now. We've gotta go out on patrol, gots loadsa creepy ass demons to slay an' everything", Faith butted in before having her palate drowned in apple based delicacies.

"But what about…", Regina started before she was cut off by her other half.

"It's ok guys. Just go and save the world", said Emma with a soft smile not wanting Regina to smother her new found daughter.

"Very well. Just please be safe honey", Regina said wiping her hands on her apron before wrapping Faith in a warm motherly embrace and pressing her lips to her crown.

"Hey, I'm not five", Faith snorted trying to wriggle from the arms which were much stronger than at first glance.

"I know, but you'll always be my baby girl", Regina said hugging her daughter tightly as Faith blushed intensely at hearing Buffy's snigger.

"Mom….please", groaned Faith in embarrassment.

"I'll never tire of hearing that….you calling me Mom", Regina said warmly stroking Faith's blushing cheek.

"Will you guys be ok without a slayer in residence?", Buffy asked trying to crowbar herself back into Faith's hands.

"We'll be fine, I've cast a protection spell over the house so nothing can even come near after dark", Regina stated simply waving a hand around allowing the air around them to crackle with magic.

"Not even me?", Faith said with a blank stare.

"Of course, I've made allowances for you and your friends"

"Besides, if magic doesn't work….I've still got a gun", Emma said nodding towards the desk where her sidearm sat dormant.

"That won't help against vampires", Buffy coughed out a little more derisively than she planned.

"Why not?"

"Bullets won't kill them"

"So if I shot one in the head and blew his brains out all over the sidewalk, he'd be fine? Or if I shot him in the spine and crippled him, or blew his knees off…."

"I get your point", Buffy said wondering why she'd never thought about using an Uzi before. It'd make things a helluva lot easier.

"Not to mention if I shot one in the knackers….."

"Emma, please", Faith said with a shake of the head, "I get it. You're safe. Point well made. But we better go, laters everyone"

"Bye sweetheart. Buffy, take care of her will you. I know how impetuous Faith can be", Regina said boring her gaze directly in the slayer's dulcet eyes.

"Of course. I'll protect her with my life"

"I'm sure it won't come to that, but it's comforting to know", said the newly appointed Mayor as the two slayers set foot outside and into the chilled evening air.

"Hey, it's not like they've not done this vampire fighting thing before", Emma said coming up behind Regina and sliding her hands around her waist, "Don't worry"

"But I do worry. I know Faith's only been living with us for a few days but it really feels like she's been here forever"

"Come on 'Gina, let's try out your turnovers ok", Emma said coaxing her lover away from the window and into the realm of cooking where Regina's ego could be masturbated.

_**Twenty Minutes later across town**_

"Can you believe how over-the-top she's being with this Mom thing? Though I shouldn't really bitch about it 'cos for the first time in my entire fuckin' life I've got clean clothes, a full stomach and a roof over my head with a family that actually….. loves me", Faith said trying not to let the tear which had pooled in her eye run free.

"It's no less than you deserve baby", Buffy said rubbing her thumb over the back of her girlfriend's hand.

"It's just Mom can be so…._Mom_ like with all the fussing over me…. and last night…."

"What happened?", Buffy asked curiously.

"Mom came to my room after I got into bed and…"

"And what?"

"She….she tucked me in", Faith finished with a whisper punctuated by a blush.

"Oh that is priceless", Buffy giggled.

"Don't tell anyone B", she whined in reply.

"I know all this is kinda weird for you, but I bet you secretly love it"

"Every second", Faith grinned back, unafraid to let out her real feelings in the company of the girl who loved her.

"I knew it…but move your ass, we're gonna be late for Willow"

"So why did Red wanna meet us in the graveyard? Why not the Bronze? Sure, it's lame as hell and every single band that's ever played there totally sucks, but at least it's got a bar", huffed Faith as she walked hand in hand with Buffy through Restfield Cemetery.

"I've no idea, she just said to meet her here in about…oh, about ten minutes ago actually. Ooh, maybe she's got some mysterious new boyfriend and wants to introduce us", Buffy said with a hint of teenage ditziness.

"In a graveyard?", deadpanned her girlfriend.

"Shut up", snorted Buffy bumping shoulders with her, "My last boyfriend was a vampire so…..."

"Yeah, I never get tired of teasing you about that either", grinned Faith "Betcha glad a _real_ kick ass super hero came along to sweep you off your feet, eh?"

"You have such an ego, you know that? I'm amazed you can't see it on Google Earth", grinned Buffy cheekily.

"I just want you to know that I'm gonna fight to keep you. You know Lil' H has a crush on you, B?"

"He doesn't ….does he? Awww, that's so cute", Buffy grinned thinking of how sweet and innocent young Henry was.

"That's not sweet…that's creepy"

"Getting jealous there, Faithy?"

"Hello no", pouted Faith as her girlfriend slipped her arms around her waist.

"Oh yes you are, and I think it's adorable"

"B, I am _**not**_ adorable"

"Oh you so are. And I think you better treat me right and work your ass making sure I'm yours and yours alone…..or.."

"Don't finish that sentence…please…..", she said with a whine.

"Oh don't be such a baby, I'm just…..oh, is that Willow?", Buffy said seeing a figure flit away behind a mausoleum.

"Yeah….hey Red!", Faith called as they jogged around the decadent tomb to a small clearing where their redhead friend stood with her back to them.

"Will, what's up? A-are you ok?", asked Buffy sensing something what definitely wrong as Willow slowly turned around to show that the fierce burn mark on her cheek had grown.

"Buffy…I-I'm sorry….I had no choice", the witch choked out as tears ran freely down her cheek.

"What are you talking about, Red?", Faith said with a flinch.

"She means…._**I**_ am her Master now", came a sickly voice that echoed with menace.

"Who the fuck are you?", snapped Faith seeing the man creep from the shadows, his skin a mottled grey draped over an emaciated frame that seemed to sing with a thousand souls betrothed to his darkness.

"Ah, you must be the child of the Queen. The child that was stolen, it seems that the manners of your royal mother have yet to rub off on you", he smirked as he dropped into an overly dramatic bow, "Your highness, allow me to introduce myself. I am Rumpelstiltskin…. and I am here for that which is mine"

"What the hell are you talking about?", Buffy snarled taking a defensive position in front of her girlfriend.

"And you must be Buffy, I've heard all about you", he said nodding towards Willow who skulked in the background ridden with guilt and shame.

"Willow? W-what have you done?", Buffy asked her friend in fear.

"Buffy….I-I'm so sorry", sobbed the redhead as Rumpelstiltskin slid round behind her hair and sniffed her hair.

"Ah, this Willow is now mine. She is nothing but a whore…a thief of magicks… a cowardly betrayer, he-he, I could grow quite fond of her", he grinned running his torn fingernails down her cheek to scoop up her bitter tears and pour them onto his tongue, "Mmmm, the tears of failure taste so much richer"

"Ok dude, you better back the fuck up or…..", Faith snapped stepping closer.

"Or what?", roared back Rumpelstiltskin, the air around him crackling with dark magic, "You are nothing but a slayer and I shall take what I want. My vengeance shall be complete and reclaim that which is mine, now come here dearie"

"Don't you dare…..._oomph_", cried Buffy as Rumpelstiltskin flicked his hand and a wave of magic sent her flying across the cemetery to collide with a tombstone with a sickening thud.

"Buffy!", screamed Faith before turning to the Dark One, "Ok fucker, you better….._aghhh_"

Before her words could air Faith found herself harnessed by the bonds of magic, her limbs pinned to her sides by a painful spell as she was lifted off the ground and slowly levitated towards the evil imp.

His hand reached out, an eerie ethereal glow emanating from his fingers as they grew closer to her chest.

"What in the fuck? You do all this….'cos you wanna grope me? You sick bastard", Faith spat out in a ragged angered hiss for the magical bonds were crushing her.

"Oh no my dear…..I want something far more worthwhile", Rumpelstiltskin sneered as he placed his palm, bathed in dark energy, on her chest and pressed into her skin, "I want your heart!"


	8. Chapter 8

"Regina! Emma!", cried out Buffy as she kicked open the front door of the Mayoral mansion, her voice echoing with fear and anger.

"Buffy? What do you…..oh my god", Regina gasped as she saw Faith with her arms slung around the shoulders of Buffy and Xander for support, her breath ragged and painful, her skin drained of color.

"Just fucking help me", yelled Buffy not caring for manners or etiquette as panic gripped her tight for most of Faith's weight was on her as she hauled her over to the sofa and let her girlfriend drop down with a thud.

"Ow", groaned Faith as the back of her head smacked into the carved armrest.

"Sorry Fai", winced Buffy but before she could give any comfort to Faith she felt herself being hauled to one side by Regina who crouched down by her ailing daughter as tears began to sting her eyes.

"Oh my sweet baby girl", Regina sobbed taking Faith's hand into hers and pressing her lips to it.

"I-I'm not a baby, Mom", Faith forced out though exhaustion was sapping her remaining strength, but her words caused a small sad smile to stretch Regina's lips weakly.

"What happened?", Emma asked hoping they hadn't woken Henry as his questions would be too much to handle at this moment.

"T-there was this guy, all super hyped with the magic mojo…", began Buffy hoping her tears wouldn't fall just yet.

"In English?", Regina snapped.

"He was like major wiggins factor and….."

"Does she come in subtitles?", Emma quipped trying to break the claustrophobic tension of the room.

"Honey, this isn't the time to berate Buffy on her mangled grasp of the language", Regina chided softly as she ran her hand over Faith's sweaty brow, "Who was it? Who hurt my little girl? I'll tear their bones out and beat them to death with them!"

"He …he said he was Rumpelstiltskin", Xander said with a gulp seeing the fire in her eyes, that wild inferno of a pissed off mother.

"Oh my god…._here_?", Regina gasped as her eyes snapped wide open.

"Large as life. He said…..", Buffy gulped as she fought back a sob as she knew how Faith hated it when she cried, "He said….he wanted her heart"

"He didn't get it though", Regina smiled weakly putting her hand over Faith's chest and sighing with relief feeling its dull thud.

"How? I mean, why couldn't he take it?", asked Emma as she crouched by the former Queen.

"Magic", Regina stated flatly with an underlying quiver of guilt.

"How come?", Emma asked with eyes that narrowed in confusion, "I know the magic of being born from true love protects a heart from ….hang on…. 'Gina, d-does this mean Daniel was your…..true love?"

"No….he…..he was my _**first**_love, not my _**true**_ love….there is a difference", Regina said tearing her eyes from her ailing daughter to meet with Emma's, "True love is forged by suffering and sacrifice, it's why so many years passed and countless setbacks befell us before we found each other. Please Emma, believe me"

"I do", she smiled back feeling more relieved than she felt she had a right to.

"Hang on", Xander interrupted, "Faith doesn't have any magic"

"Yeah", groaned Faith, "All that hocus pocus shit is like….shit"

"I'm glad the severity of the situation hasn't robbed you of your eloquent vocabulary", Regina smiled as her palms glowed softly before laying them on Faith's chest.

"W-what are you doing?"

"I could go into the details of the elements and how to harness their properties but the short answer is…..I'm recharging you", Regina grinned letting her magic flow into her daughter to slowly heal the ache in her more-than-ample chest. "Better?"

"Yeah….kind of", Faith replied as her mother helped her up to a sitting position, "That's not bad…. feel less wasted. Man, when he stuck his hand on me it was like….."

"….all the life and energy was being drained from you?", Regina finished for her.

"Yeah. When he tried to take my heart…god, it hurt like hell ….but he said he couldn't take it ….he got all angry and disappeared in a puff of smoke with Red…..", Faith said as she squeezed Regina's hand a little, "Mom….was he really gonna go all Mola Ram on me and rip my heart out"

"I have no idea who that is, but it's not quite how it works. It's more mystical than that, yes you can take someone's heart out using magic but it won't kill them. It's like taking their essence, their soul, all that remains is a slavish obedience to the one who has it"

"So why couldn't he take mine?"

"I already told you. Magic", the fallen Queen replied cupping her daughters flushed cheek.

"How? Did you put some sort of spell on me or something?"

"No, nothing like that. Just sit…..you too Buffy… we need to talk"

"Okay", Buffy said curiously seeing the pensive look on Regina's face.

"I…..I may have been wrong about Rumpelstiltskin, I thought he was here for that which was his. I thought he meant his son….."

"Who's that?"

"You call him Mr Giles", the interim Mayor replied.

"Giles?", coughed Xander.

"Yeah, what's the dealio with Giles being this Skyfire?", Buffy asked.

"B, that's a Transformer", chuckled Faith letting the blonde slayer snuggle up close to her, their closeness making Buffy's fear subside.

"His name is Baelfire, and he is indeed the son of Rumpelstiltskin"

"Oh….like in the real deal? I thought it as just some cheesy nickname he ripped off", Buffy said blankly, "You mean he's the actual guy? As in _'guess my name and I'll stomp through the floor in a hissy fit'_ kind of Rumpelstiltskin?"

"Pfft, like _**you're**_ one to talk about stomping your foot in a hissy fit", mumbled Faith earning a slap to the back of the head from her girlfriend.

"Hey, just who was it who had that petulant huff after Austin beat The Rock?", Buffy quipped back cheekily.

"Touche"

"Girls…please", Regina snapped a little more harshly than she's planned, "This is deadly serious"

"Sorry", both slayers said back in unison.

"It's a long story and I'm sure the tale has been changed many times in this world and under different names but the power of the Dark One has seeped into this world for untold aeons"

"But Giles said this world was already really old, and demons have been around since forever. He said the last demon leaving this dimension bit a human and they became the first vampire", Buffy said trying to be a smart ass.

"Oh what utter nonsense. What about dinosaurs? Did they not exist before humans? And what part does evolution play in this scenario? Were there Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon vampires? Or only since modern man came about did demons come here?"

"She's got a point B", Faith nodded, "It's like the crap about one slayer being born into every generation. I mean, we've had three slayers here in the last two years so it seems that into every generation about a dozen slayers are born. Face it B, we're not a rare breed"

"But why would Giles tell us that?"

"Do you believe everything Mr Giles tells you? You trust his word without question? Even though you now know he's really Baelfire and has been lying to you all this time?", Regina said pointedly.

"Ok, I get it", Buffy backed up, "So what about this Rumpel then?"

"Rumpelstiltskin was once a normal man but the essence of the Dark One took over his body and he became little more than a puppet to a malevolent spirit. But despite what he is now he won't kill Bae"

"Why not?"

"Human weakness….it never goes away. The love he had for his son is still somewhere deep inside Rumpelstiltskin and the buried part of his old self will fight the power of the Dark one. But he _**can**_ find a soul, take their heart and manipulate someone strong enough to do whatever it is he has in mind. That may be why he wanted your heart, to turn you to his side"

"This is all sounds complicated and kinda contrived", Faith said with a confused look.

"It is, and it's full of inaccuracies, hypocrisy and contradictions. But try and keep up dear", Regina said squeezing her daughters hand a little more

"So what's your part in all this?", said Buffy to the Queen.

"I….well….he taught me how to use magic but over time I equalled, surpassed and would finally erase his legacy as my magic comes from my soul and was never bartered for. It's why I had no price to pay for it. You see, my mother was addicted to magic when I was born so it lay dormant in me until Rumpelstiltskin showed me how to unleash it"

"Why would he do that?"

"His magic isn't as strong as natural born magic like mine, it's why he deceives and feeds on the weakness of others, and it's their deals which give him his power. He wanted me as an ally but when he tried to turn me to darker magic I refused. Does it not seem strange that if Rumpelstiltskin wanted to come this world so badly, why didn't he just enact the curse himself?"

"That's a point", Emma said stroking her chin deep in thought.

"He could create the curse but wasn't powerful enough to make it happen, that's why he needed me but he really had no idea just how strong my magic is, it's always been a part of me", said Regina with a pause as she turned to Faith, "The same with you"

"Me?", squawked the slayer.

"Yes my darling. When you were born your soul was infused with my magic and it lies dormant in you, and now Rumpelstiltskin is here I think it's time to unearth it"

"Ok, now you're getting' all mumbo jumbo on me again", Faith snorted not wanting to believe her mother's words.

"It's no lie, as my daughter you have all the powers of my magicks. It lies deep within your soul, powers which dwarf that of being a mere slayer"

"Hey", yelped Buffy at the sleight.

"Haven't you felt that energy since I came to town?", Regina aske staring deeply into Faith's unflinching eyes, "A tingling in your fingers, a murmur of power under your skin?"

"Well….yeah. But I just put it down to too much Red Bull"

"No dear, it's like a symbiotic relationship with you and I. In the presence of each other it's like we can feed and combine our magic. Now if we are to stop Rumpelstiltskin we must unearth that potential"

"What?", coughed Faith envisioning hour after hour studying ancient dusty tomes.

"I can show you how to harness the elements, it'll help protect you with slaying too. Before you start you have to find that affinity with your deep rooted powers, you can't just read a few books and recite the spells without thinking. You must understand and create a harmony with the elements before any true magic can flow", Regina said sagely.

"But Willow never did", interrupted Xander.

"What?", Regina snapped staring at the young man who flinched once more, "You mean your ginger friend?"

"Yeah, she read some of Giles'….I mean Bae's books and jumped right in at the deep end, she's pretty good at it too", Buffy said sticking up for her friend.

"That foolish child! She has no idea what's she done", Regina spat with pity for the redhead, "By forcing magick into her life…in this world such powers come with a terrible price. We have to stop her before Rumpelstiltskin takes claim of her soul"

"What?"

"Magick is from my realm, using it in this world binds your soul to the Dark One as he is the conduit which makes the magic flow. He will own this Willow"

"W-why would Giles let her get into magic if he knew what the price was?", Buffy gulped with wide eyes.

"Maybe…..", sighed Regina as she tried to think, "Maybe he knew one day his father would come for him, the only way to throw him off the scent was to allow someone like this Willow to naively use magic, thereby making _**her**_ soul that which Rumpel seeks. Giles has been using her as a human shield. God, how could I be so blind? Rumpelstilskin is here to take that which is his…..but it didn't mean Bae, it meant the soul tainted with dark magic….the soul which he now owns. Dammit, why are prophecies so vague?"

"You mean Willow is…..his?", Buffy said fearfully as she clutched Faith's hand a little tighter.

"His pet? Yes. Magic works differently here, it's so costly and diluted, by jumping in like that you force the elements to work to your will instead of being in harmony with it. Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't be able to locate his son if a dark energy blocked his aura, and that darkness comes from Willow. Don't you see? Giles has been using her all along. The power of the hellmouth would no doubt shield him to a certain extent, even combined with a blocking spell it wouldn't be enough, but he needed a sacrificial lamb to hide him as Rumpelstiltskin would be fixated on the dark aura of Willow"

"Again….why?", Buffy repeated with rapidly diminishing patience.

"Only Mr Giles can tell us that"

"So what do we do?"

"I'm sure his dreams will reveal all", Regina replied with a nod.

"Man, is there anyone's dreams you won't have a poke around in?", Faith snorted.

"Honey, I needed to know all I could to find you. I focussed in on your energy and visited the dreams of everyone around you who really cared for you to find out where you were. Though those dreams were a scattershot of demons and blonde cheerleaders", the Queen said trying to reassure her child.

"Y-you've seen my dreams?", choked out Xander with a blush.

"I don't even know who you are", said Regina dismissively eyeing him up and down.

"I'm Xander, I was on my way home when I saw Buffy and Faith coming out the cemetery, so I gave them a lift"

"Oh, you're the one who dreams of Christina Ricci dressed as…"

"Stop!", Xander snapped before sheepishly stepping back with a fierce blush.

"Hey, I think I get it now", Faith piped up turning to her mother, "You're like Vader"

"I beg your pardon?", she replied with a furrowed brow.

"Rumpelstiltskin was like the all-powerful Emperor, feeding on your fears and insecurities until you would turn evil like him. But he couldn't control you 'cos your heart still felt love and that made you stronger than him, so you turned round and whooped his ass. You turned to the dark side because of loss and fear…."

"I never turned to the dark side, those are just silly stories. I was never evil despite the lies that Snow spread"

"So does that make Emma some kind of Luke Skywalker?", Xander said trying not to stare down the Sheriff's low cut top.

"Nah, Emski was a bounty hunter…..I guess that makes her more of a Boba Fett. Way cooler", smiled Faith receiving an equal knowing smirk from her would-be stepmother.

"So what do we do? We can't just wait for Giles to go to sleep and hope he dreams of evil father figures and the like", Buffy said feeling the need for action and answers.

"Very well. Then maybe it's time I paid Mr Giles a little visit", said Regina standing up from the sofa and brushing down the creases in her pencil skirt.

"I'm coming too", Faith groaned as she stood up on shaky legs.

"No honey, you're still weak from your run in with Rumpelstiltskin, I'm not going to risk you twice in one night. So stay here with Emma …..please? I need you to protect Henry in case…."

"I…..", Faith replied as she saw the stern look on Regina's face making her realise this wasn't a request but an order,"….fine"

"But let me come", Buffy said with determination as no-one fucked with her girlfriend and got away with it.

"Very well", Regina replied as her hands gathered the magic of the air, "Wait…..how are you when it comes to air travel?"

"Oh total vomitsville", Buffy said with a blush, "This one time we flew to see my Grandma in Florida and I was so sick I got dehydrated and had to be taken to hospital"

"Oh", Regina replied casting an eye down to her new Louboutins, "Then we better walk"


End file.
